BANCROFT 
LIBRARY 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 


PUBLICATIONS  OF 
THE  HISPANIC  SOCIETY  OF  AMERICA 

No.  82 


PORTOLAN  CHARTS 

THEIR  ORIGIN  AND  CHARACTERISTICS 
WITH  A  DESCRIPTIVE  LIST  OF  THOSE  BELONGING  TO 

THE  HISPANIC  SOCIETY  OF  AMERICA 


BY 


EDWARD  LUTHER  STEVENSON,  PH.D. 


NEW  YORK 
1911 


Copyright,  1911 

BY 

THE  HISPANIC  SOCIETY  OF  AMERICA 


Ube  ftnicfeetbocfter  press,  Hew  fl?orft 


1o  H3S*~ 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

PORTOLAN    CHARTS 1 

BIBLIOGRAPHY .29 

DESCRIPTIVE  LIST  OF  CHARTS  AND  ATLASES  IN  THE   COLLECTION  OF 
THE  HISPANIC  SOCIETY  OF  AMERICA: 

1.  GIACOMO   GIROLDI,   EARLY   15TH   CENTURY 32 

2.  PETRUS    ROSELLI,    1468 33 

3.  NICOLAUS  DE   NICOLO,   1470 35 

4.  ANONYMOUS.    LATE    15TH    CENTURY 35 

5.  VESCONTE  DE  MAIOLO,  1512 36 

6.  CONDE    HOCTOM ANNO   FREDUCCI,    1524 38 

7.  CONTE    DE    OTHOMANO    FREDUCCI,    ATLAS    OF    FIVE    CHARTS, 

1537 39 

8.  ANONYMOUS,    EARLY    16TH    CENTURY 41 

9.  ANONYMOUS,   EARLY    16TH    CENTURY 42 

10.  ANONYMOUS,    ATLAS    OF    THREE    CHARTS,    EARLY    16TH    CEN- 

TURY   43 

11.  BAPTISTA  AGNESE,  ATLAS  OF  FOURTEEN  CHARTS,  EARLY  15TH 

CENTURY    45 

12.  BARTOLOMEO  OLIVO,  AFTER  1550 50 

13.  HIERONYMO    GIRIVA,   AFTER    1550 51 

14.  BARTOLOMEO  OLIVES,  1552 52 

15.  GIOVANNI  MARTINES,  ATLAS  OF  SEVEN  CHARTS,  AFTER  1560.  .53 

16.  JAUME  OLIVES,  ATLAS  OF  SIX  CHARTS,  1563 55 

17.  JAUME    OLIVES,    1566 56 

18.  GIOVANNI   MARTINES,  ATLAS  OF  FIVE  CHARTS,  1582 58 

19.  ANONYMOUS,  ATLAS  OF  FOUR  CHARTS,  LATE  16TH  CENTURY.  .59 

20.  DOMINICUS   DE   VILLARROEL,  ATLAS   OF   SEVEN    CHARTS,   1590 

CIRCA    61 

21.  vincentius  prunes,  1597 64 

22.  anonymous,  atlas  of  three  charts,  second  half  of 

16th  century 65" 

23.  anonymous,  atlas  of  three  charts,  late  16th  century  66 

24.  anonymous,  16th  century 67 

25.  anonymous,  late  16th  century 68 

26.  vincentius  demetrius  volcius,  1600 68 

27.  maiolo  e  visconte,  1605 69 

28.  joannes  oliva,  early  17th  century 70 

29.  placitus  calviro  et  oliva,  early  17th  century 71 

30.  anonymous,  early  17th  century 72 

31.  JOUAN  BATTISTA  CAVALLINI,  1637 74 

32.  GEORG.  ANDREA  BOCKLER,  ATLAS  OF  FOUR  CHARTS,  1650 75 

V 


REPRODUCTIONS 

GIOVANNI  MARTINES,  AFTER  1560.     CHART  ONE  OF  ATLAS .  .  Frontispiece 

FACING  PAGE 

PETRUS    ROSELLI,    1468 6 

VESCONTE   DE    MAIOLO,  1512 12 

CONTE  DE  OTHOMANO  FREDUCCI,  1537.      CHART  TWO  OF  ATLAS 16 

BAPTISTA  AGNESE,  EARLY  16TH  CENTURY.      CHART  TWO  OF  ATLAS.  .22 

BARTOLOMEO   OLIVO,   AFTER   1550 32 

BARTOLOMEO   OLIVES,    1552 40 

JAUME  OLIVES,   1563.      CHART  THREE  OF  ATLAS 50 

JAUME   OLIVES,   1566 .54 

GIOVANNI    MARTINES,    1582.      CHART    ONE    OF    ATLAS 58 

GIOVANNI    MARTINES,    1582.      CHART   TWO   OF    ATLAS 60 

GIOVANNI   MARTINES,   1582.      CHART  THREE  OF  ATLAS 62 

DOMINICUS  DE  VALLARROEL,  CIRCA  1590.      CHART  THREE  OF  ATLAS.  .66 

ANONYMOUS,    SECOND    HALF    OF    16TH    CENTURY.      CHART    TWO    OF 

ATLAS 70 

GEORG.    ANDREAS    BOCKLER,    1650.      CHART    TWO   OF   ATLAS 74 


via 


PORTOLAN  CHARTS 


AMONG  the  geographical  records  of  earlier  centuries 
which  have  come  down  to  us,  none  are  more  in- 
teresting than  the  portolan  charts  which  were 
drawn  during  the  years  fittingly  designated  the  period 
of  great  geographical  discoveries.  They  attract  and  hold 
the  attention  by  reason  of  their  artistic  features,  as  well 
as  by  their  remarkable  approach  to  scientific  accuracy  for 
so  early  a  period. 

To  the  cloister  maps  of  the  middle  ages  they  present 
a  marked  contrast.  The  former  strikingly  exhibit  the  in- 
fluence of  ecclesiastical  and  classical  tradition.  In  general, 
they  are  far  from  truthful  in  their  presentation  of  the  geo- 
graphical features  of  the  earth.  Though  highly  interesting 
as  reflecting  geographical  notions  of  the  time  in  which  they 
were  drawn,  they  possess  little  value  as  scientific  maps. 

Portolan  charts  are  based  upon  careful  and  what  may 
be  called  scientific  observations.  It  is  only  in  recent  times 
that  there  has  been  an  improvement  in  the  charting  of 
the  region  to  which  most  of  them  pertain,  that  is,  the 
Mediterranean  and  the  Atlantic  coast  in  varying  extent 
to  the  north  and  the  south  of  Gibraltar.  They  too  ex- 
hibit the  geographical  interests  of  the  period  to  which 
they  belong.  They  are  the  creations  of  seamen,  navi- 
gators, explorers,  chart-makers  who  were  leaders  in  the 

l 


expansion  of  geographical  knowledge  which  opened  the 
New  World  region  of  Africa,  of  India,  and  of  America. 
This  brief  word  concerning  the  origin,  character,  and 
general  significance  of  portolan  charts,  the  first  modern 
scientific  maps,  is  presented  as  an  introduction  to  a  de- 
scriptive list  of  the  numerous  originals  belonging  to  The 
Hispanic  Society  of  America.  An  inquiry  into  the  his- 
tory of  portolan  charts  which  have  been  preserved  to 
our  day  leads  immediately  to  a  query  concerning  their 
origin.  None  of  those  extant  are  known  to  have  been 
drawn  prior  to  the  year  1300,  and  the  oldest  example 
bearing  date  and  signature  is  that  of  Pietro  Visconte 
of  the  year  1311.  Nordenskiold  thinks  that  the  normal 
portolan  chart,  as  he  chooses  to  call  it,  that  is,  the  one 
which  served  as  a  sort  of  original  pattern,  must  have 
been  constructed  sometime  during  the  thirteenth  century, 
from  numerous  coast  sketches  such,  for  example,  as 
those  which  may  be  found  in  a  cosmographic  poem  by 
Leonardo  Dati,  bearing  the  title  La  sfera.  The  argu- 
ments in  support  of  the  assumption  seem  reasonable,  yet 
the  fact  remains  that  no  dated  portolan  chart  of  that 
century,  as  has  been  stated  above,  is  known;  neither  are 
such  sketches  known  as  those  to  which  Nordenskiold  re- 
fers, antedating  the  fourteenth  century.  An  interesting 
record,  however,  is  that  to  be  found  in  a  work  by  Guil- 
laume  de  Nangis  describing  the  crusade  of  King  Louis 
IX.  in  1270,  noting  that  the  King's  ships  had  sea  charts 
on  board.  In  the  voyage  from  Aiguesmortes  to  Cag- 
liari,  the  port  selected  for  the  rendezvous  of  the  ships 
making  up  the  expedition,  they  were  overtaken  by  a 
storm,  and  at  the  end  of  the  sixth  day,  as  Cagliari  had 
not  yet  been  reached,  the  King  expressed  a  wish  to  know 
the  exact  location  of  his  ship.     The  pilots,  we  are  told, 


brought  to  him  their  charts,  and  showed  to  him  that  the 
port  was  not  far  distant. 

Theobald  Fischer  has  advanced  the  theory  that  porto- 
lan  charts  have  a  Byzantine  origin,  and  Fiorini  holds 
that  Italian  navigators,  not  long  after  1000  a.  d.,  learned 
from  the  Greeks  of  Constantinople  how  to  make  and 
how  to  use  charts  which  were  founded  on  drawings  and 
measurements,  and  that  in  succeeding  years  they  grad- 
ually improved  them.  Again  the  fact  confronts  us  that 
no  portolan  chart  of  Byzantine  or  Greek  origin  is  known, 
nor  is  the  evidence  of  such  eastern  influence  traceable 
in  existing  charts. 

The  first  thousand  years  and  more  of  the  Christian 
era  have  left  us  none  of  the  sailors'  charts  which  may 
have  been  employed  during  those  centuries. 

Ptolemy  alone  of  the  ancient  writers  alludes  to  the 
charts  of  seamen,  and  one  might  conclude  from  his  refer- 
ences that  such  as  he  had  in  mind  were  not  unlike  the 
portolan  charts  which  we  have  here  under  consideration. 
But  all  these  too  are  lost. 

As  there  appears  to  be  a  relationship  existing  between 
the  ancient  periplus,  the  Italian  portolan,  and  the  porto- 
lan chart  of  the  period  of  discovery, — which  chart  at  first 
was  doubtless  regarded  as  a  very  useful  addition  to  the 
portolan,  coming  in  time  to  supplant  it  as  the  know- 
ledge of  seamanship  expanded, — a  more  extended  refer- 
ence to  the  character  of  the  periplus  and  of  the  portolan 
will  fittingly  introduce  us  to  the  portolan  chart. 

The  Greeks  used  the  word  nspinXovs  to  designate  a 
course  or  harbor  book,  literally  a  sailing  around,  a  cir- 
cumnavigation. It  was  not  applied  to  a  sea  chart  or  to 
a  collection  of  sea  charts.  The  Italian  word  portolanOj 
while  not  precisely  synonymous,  has  a  meaning  strik- 


ingly  similar  to  this  Greek  word,  as  has  also  the  English 
word  rutter,  the  Portuguese  roteiro  and  the  French 
routier.  The  term  portolan  should  not  be  employed,  as 
has  so  frequently  been  done,  to  designate  the  charts 
which  especially  interest  us  here;  on  the  contrary,  they 
should  be  called  portolan  charts,  and  this  rather  than 
loxodrome  or  compass  charts,  as  will  appear  later. 

We  have  no  information  that  the  seamen  of  antiquity 
were  in  possession  of  instruments  by  which  to  direct  their 
courses  in  the  open  sea.  The  sun  and  stars  might  guide 
in  cloudless  weather,  but  a  cloudy  sky  brought  terror  to 
the  sailor  who  had  ventured  upon  a  course  which  led 
beyond  the  horizon  of  known  coast  lines.  Coasting  was 
with  the  ancient  mariners  the  more  common  practice,  and 
more  useful  to  them  than  a  seafarer's  chart,  which  might 
be  employed  in  navigating  from  port  to  port  across  a 
trackless  and  unknown  sea,  would  be  a  written  descrip- 
tion of  the  seas  over  which  they  were  prepared  to  travel 
and  the  coasts  they  had  to  visit, — a  description  of  the 
harbors,  the  shoals,  the  currents,  the  winds,  and  the 
facility  for  anchorage. 

Of  coastwise  navigation  in  antiquity  a  few  accounts 
have  been  preserved  to  us.  The  story  of  Nearchus'  voy- 
age from  the  mouth  of  the  Indus  to  the  Euphrates,  in 
the  time  of  Alexander  the  Great,  is  the  story  of  an 
expedition  which  was  regarded  as  one  of  great  daring, 
and  worthy  the  highest  praise,  but  many  of  the  incidents 
of  the  expedition  show  how  meagre  at  that  time  was  the 
knowledge  of  real  seamanship.  The  apostle  Paul's  jour- 
ney from  Csesarea  to  Rome  was  in  large  part  a  coastwise 
journey,  and  its  incidents  vividly  set  forth  the  dangers 
and  hardships  of  early  navigation.  One  wonders  that 
so  long  a  time  was  required  for  the  expedition  of  the 

4 


Emperor  Justinian  to  pass  from  Constantinople  to  the 
north  coast  of  Africa,  but  this  expedition,  requiring 
three  months,  was  not  directed  over  the  shortest  course; 
instead  it  too  was  a  coastwise  journey,  in  so  far  as  was 
possible,  leading  among  the  islands  of  the  iEgean,  along 
the  coast  of  Laconia,  to  Sicily,  to  Malta,  thence  across 
the  open  sea  to  Tunis.  In  each  of  the  expeditions  re- 
ferred to,  the  periplus  must  have  been  the  pilot's  guide- 
book rather  than  the  chart. 

It  is  generally  accepted  that  the  oldest  known  peri- 
plus is  that  ascribed  to  Scylax  of  Caryanda.  Neither 
the  exact  year  nor  the  exact  century  can  with  certainty 
be  given  as  the  time  of  its  composition.  Herodotus  re- 
lates in  Book  IV.,  chapter  xliv.,  of  his  History,  that 
"  the  greater  part  of  Asia  was  explored  by  Darius,  for 
he  wanted  to  know  where  the  river  Indus,  the  second  of 
all  rivers  in  which  crocodiles  are  found,  flows  into  the 
sea,  and  to  this  end  he  sent  out  several  trustworthy  men, 
among  them  Scylax  of  Caryanda."  We  cannot,  how- 
ever, be  certain  that  the  Scylax  here  referred  to  is 
the  author  of  the  periplus.  Some  of  the  records,  con- 
tained in  this  periplus  relate  to  geographical  facts 
which  belong  to  a  time  later  than  that  of  King  Darius, 
while  others  in  it  allude  to  an  earlier  day.  To  all 
appearances,  the  greater  part  of  it  must  have  been  writ- 
ten shortly  before  the  time  of  Alexander  the  Great, 
and  from  the  standpoint  of  Macedonia  or  Greece,  seeing, 
as  Kretschmer  has  noted,  the  author  refers  to  a  road 
from  Corinth  on  the  west  coast  over  the  isthmus  to  "  our 
sea  "  as  forty  stadia  in  length.  It  includes  the  entire 
circuit  of  the  Mediterranean,  with  a  few  omissions,  be- 
ginning at  the  Pillars  of  Hercules  on  the  European 
coast,  tracing  this  coast  eastward  to  the  Tanais,  thence 

5 


around  Asia  Minor  and  the  Levant  to  Egypt,  Libya, 
and  the  African  coast  to  a  point  opposite  that  of  de- 
parture, and  terminating  at  the  island  of  Cerne,  which 
island,  it  is  stated,  is  twelve  days'  coasting  beyond  the 
Pillars  of  Hercules  where  the  "  parts  are  no  longer 
navigable  because  of  shoals,  of  mud,  and  of  seaweed." 
The  information  given  is  confined  to  the  immediate  coast 
regions  with  attention  directed  to  the  physical  features 
of  the  land,  to  the  peoples,  the  rivers  emptying  into  the 
sea,  to  the  harbors,  headlands,  and  shoals,  with  an  occa- 
sional reference  to  inland  cities  in  close  touch  with  the 
coast.  The  distance  from  port  to  port  is  given,  it  being 
stated  at  the  conclusion  of  his  reference  to  the  European 
coast  that  one  hundred  and  fifty-three  days  are  needed 
for  a  coastwise  journey  from  west  to  east,  and  that  five 
hundred  stadia  might  be  recorded  as  a  day's  sail. 

The  following  quotations  will  serve  to  indicate  the 
character  of  this  periplus,  which  is  not  a  document  of 
great  literary  worth,  though  it  has  a  unique  value  for 
the  history  of  geography: 

"  I  shall  begin,"  says  the  author,  "  at  the  Pillars  of 
Hercules  in  Europe,  and  shall  continue  to  the  Pillars 
of  Hercules  in  Libya,  and  to  the  land  of  the  great 
Ethiopians.  The  Pillars  of  Hercules  stand  opposite  to 
each  other,  and  the  distance  between  them  is  one  day's 
sail.  Not  far  distant  lie  two  islands  by  name  Gadeira. 
On  one  of  these  is  a  city  which  is  distant  one  day's 
sail.  Beyond  the  Pillars  of  Hercules  which  are  in  Europe, 
there  are  many  trading  stations  of  the  Carthaginians, 
also  mud,  and  tides,  and  open  seas."  He  notes  that  the 
Iberians  are  the  first  peoples  to  be  met  with  in  Europe, 
and  refers  to  a  Greek  town  which  is  called  "  Emporium," 
adding  that  "  its  inhabitants  are  colonists  who  came  from 

6 


the  city  of  Massilia."  "  Seven  days  and  seven  nights 
are  necessary  for  coasting  along  the  country  of  the 
Iberians."  Referring  to  the  Ligurians,  it  is  noted  that 
they  are  to  be  found  "  beyond  the  river  Rhone  as  far 
as  Antium.  Here  lies  the  Greek  city  and  port  Massilia, 
also  the  colonies  of  Massilia,  Taurnois,  Olbia,  and  An- 
tium. It  requires  four  days  and  four  nights  of  coasting 
from  the  river  Rhone  to  Antium.  The  entire  region 
from  the  Pillars  of  Hercules  to  Antium  is  very  rich 
in  harbors."  Concerning  Libya,  it  is  stated  that  it  lies 
beyond  the  Conopic  mouth  of  the  Nile.  "  The  first  peo- 
ples to  be  met  with  are  the  Adyrmachidge.  From  Thonis 
the  journey  to  Pharos,  which  is  a  desert  island,  is  150 
stadia.  In  Pharos,  there  are  many  harbors,  but  the 
ships  get  drinkable  water  at  Marian.  From  Pharos  to 
this  port  is  a  short  sail.  Here  is  also  a  peninsula  and 
a  harbor.  To  this  point  is  200  stadia.  Beyond  lies  the 
Bay  of  Plinthine.  From  the  mouth  of  the  Bay  of  Plin- 
thine  to  Leuce  Acte  requires  a  sail  of  one  day  and  one 
night,  but  if  you  should  sail  around  the  head  of  the  bay 
twice  as  much  time  would  be  required.  One  next  comes 
to  the  city  of  Apis,  and  as  far  as  this  point  the  country 
is  governed  by  the  Egyptians."  In  this  wise  the  entire 
Mediterranean  coast  region,  with  minor  omissions,  is  fol- 
lowed with  attention  directed  to  the  time  required  in 
day  and  night  sailing  to  pass  a  designated  territory,  to 
the  inhabitants  of  the  regions  passed,  to  the  towns,  espe- 
cially those  of  Greek  origin,  to  the  geographical  features, 
with  an  occasional  reference  to  the  manners  and  customs 
of  the  peoples.  If  a  chart  accompanied  the  periplus  of 
Scylax,  there  is  left  to  us  no  knowledge  of  it. 

In  addition  to  this  oldest  and  most  elaborate  of  all 
known    periploi,    certain    early    descriptions    of    limited 

7 


regions  have  been  preserved,  as  the  periplus  of  the  Black 
Sea  by  Arrian,  who  at  one  time  was  a  prefect  of  Cappa- 
docia.  His  description  is  given  in  a  letter  to  the  Emperor 
Hadrian.  It  could  hardly  have  been  intended  as  a  pilot's 
guide-book,  though  it  contains  valuable  information  for 
those  who  had  occasion  to  navigate  the  Black  Sea  coasts. 
To  the  above  may  be  added  a  fragment  by  Marcian, 
probably  of  the  fifth  century  of  the  Christian  era,  which 
includes  a  part  of  the  Asia  Minor  coast,  and  an  anony- 
mous periplus  of  the  Black  Sea  valuable  for  its  record 
of  distances  not  only  in  stadia,  but  also  in  Roman 
miles. 

Among  those  interested  in  the  preparation  of  charts 
and  sailing  directions  for  seamen,  a  place  of  importance 
is  held  by  Marinus  of  Tyre.  Strangely  enough,  our 
knowledge  of  him  and  his  work  is  confined  to  what  we 
may  gather  from  the  works  of  Ptolemy,  who  lived  in 
the  second  century  of  the  Christian  era.  In  chapters 
vi-xx  of  Ptolemy's  geography,  Marinus'  contributions 
in  this  field  are  critically  treated,  and  from  what  is 
there  stated,  we  are  justified  in  inferring  that  he  had 
carefully  examined  numerous  itineraries  and  accounts  of 
voyages,  that  he  had  prepared  a  chart  to  include  the 
regions  he  described,  and  that  he  gave  particular  at- 
tention to  the  coasts  in  his  work,  which  was  primarily 
intended  for  navigators.  Ptolemy  tells  us  that  in  his 
own  work  he  improved  upon  that  of  Marinus,  although 
he  gives  to  the  Tyrian  full  credit  for  what  he  had  done. 
We  probably  have  in  some  of  the  Ptolemy  maps  the  rep- 
resentations of  Marinus.  There  is  reason  for  believing 
that  there  were  marine  charts  passing  under  the  name 
of  Marinus  of  Tyre,  in  the  second  century  of  the  Chris- 
tian era,  which  charts  were  in  use  by  the  pilots  of  the 

8 


Mediterranean,  the  Black,  and  the  Red  seas,  though  such 
charts  seem  to  have  disappeared  shortly  thereafter. 

The  Greek  periploi  were  probably  employed  through- 
out the  Roman  period,  since  in  Latin  literature  no 
reference  is  found  to  original  sailing  directions  for 
mariners. 

A  periplus,  not  second  in  importance  to  that  of 
Scylax,  and  perhaps  nearly  eight  hundred  years  later, 
is  the  so-called  Byzantine  Stadiasmos.  Neither  the  date 
when  originally  written,  nor  the  author  is  known.  It  is 
preserved  to  us  only  in  part  in  a  manuscript  of  the  tenth 
century,  belonging  to  the  Royal  Library  of  Spain,  and 
once  the  property  of  Constantine  Laskaris,  who,  after  the 
middle  of  the  fifteenth  century,  fled  from  Constantinople 
on  the  coming  of  the  Turk.  It  has  been  assigned  to 
the  fourth  or  the  fifth  century,  but  internal  evidence 
seems  clearly  to  show  that  in  the  form  in  which  it  has 
come  down  to  us  there  are  additions  and  alterations  of 
later  date.  The  author  gives  us  to  understand  that  it 
was  constructed  on  the  written  and  the  verbal  reports 
of  navigators,  and  that  he  had  set  out  to  present  a  very 
exact  periplus  of  "  The  Great  Sea,"  including  a  state- 
ment of  distances  from  port  to  port,  from  island  to 
island,  how  best  to  approach  them  or  to  direct  the  course 
in  passing  them.  It  distinguishes  between  harbors  and 
mere  places  of  anchorage;  it  indicates  whether  a  port 
designated  is  suitable  for  large  or  for  small  vessels,  and 
occasionally  states  what  notice  should  be  taken  of  the 
winds  in  making  an  approach.  Often  the  details  are 
minute  in  describing  the  physical  features  of  certain 
harbors  and  coasts,  in  giving  information  concerning 
localities  where  potable  water  may  be  obtained,  in  point- 
ing out  the  several  important  landmarks,  such  as  temples, 


castles,  or  other  buildings,  sand  hills,  rocks,  small  islands, 
headlands,  or  forests,  with  an  occasional  warning  that 
great  care  should  be  exercised  in  navigating  certain 
waters.  Apparently  it  included  in  its  original  form  the 
entire  Mediterranean  and  Black  Seas.  Starting  at 
Alexandria,  which  city  therefore  is  suggested  as  the 
home  of  the  author,  it  followed  the  coast  to  the  Pillars 
of  Hercules  in  Africa,  then  from  the  same  starting  point 
to  eastward,  continuing  to  the  Pillars  of  Hercules  in 
Europe. 

It  is  especially  interesting  to  find  that  instead  of 
limiting  the  periplus  to  a  continuous  description  of  the 
coast  of  the  mainland,  a  periplus  of  many  of  the  islands 
is  given,  notably  of  Cyprus  and  Crete,  with  which  de- 
scriptions the  Stadiasmos  is  concluded.  Numerous  direc- 
tions are  given  for  sailing  from  island  to  island,  or  from 
mainland  to  island,  that  is,  for  crossing  the  sea  diagon- 
ally; also  for  sailing  in  various  directions  from  certain 
points,  as  from  Rhodes  in  no  less  than  twenty-five 
directions,  or  from  Delos  in  sixteen  directions. 

Such  statements  as  the  last  suggest  a  possible  ex- 
planation for  the  introduction  of  crossing  points  as  they 
appear  later  on  the  portolan  charts,  though  on  these 
charts  the  radiating  points,  it  is  true,  have  not  generally 
been  placed  at  conspicuous  ports,  but  appear  rather  to 
have  been  inscribed  regardless  of  any  particularly  im- 
portant geographical  centres. 

The  Stadiasmos  is  an  exceedingly  valuable  record  for 
the  study  of  the  historical  geography  of  the  coast  regions 
covered  and  may  well  be  considered  the  most  important 
document  known,  linking  in  a  sense  the  older  Greek 
periploi  with  the  later  Italian  portolans. 

A   brief   extract   will    serve   further   to   indicate   its 

10 


character.  "  1. — Sailing  westward  from  Alexandria  to 
Chersonesus  is  70  stadia.  Here  is  a  harbor  for  small 
vessels.  .  .  .  13. — From  Phenicus  to  Hermsea  is  90 
stadia;  anchor  here  with  the  cape  on  your  right.  There 
is  water  here  in  a  tower.  14. — It  is  20  stadia  from 
Hermaea  to  Leuce  Acte;  nearby  is  a  low  island  which 
is  distant  two  stadia  from  the  land.  Boats  carrying 
merchandise  can  anchor  here,  entering  by  the  west  wind, 
but  near  the  shore  below  the  promontory  there  is  a  wide 
roadstead  for  vessels  of  all  kinds.  Here  is  a  temple  of 
Apollo,  a  famous  oracle.  Near  the  temple  there  is 
water." 

In  the  periplus  of  Cyprus,  which  is  a  part  of  the 
Stadiasmos,  we  find,  for  example :  "  297. — Acamas  to 
Paphos,  with  Cyprus  on  the  left,  is  300  stadia.  The  city 
is  located  toward  the  south.  It  has  three  harbors  which 
are  accessible  with  all  winds,  and  a  temple  of  Aphro- 
dite. .  .  .  304. — From  Pedalium  to  the  islands  is  80 
stadia.  Here  is  a  deserted  town  called  Ammochostus; 
it  has  a  harbor,  and  may  be  approached  by  all  winds, 
but  there  are  low  rocks  at  the  entrance.  Enter  with 
care ! " 

In  the  directions  for  the  circumnavigation  of  Crete, 
we  find  such  information  as  the  following:  "  336. — From 
Biennon  to  Phalassarna  is  160  stadia.  Here  is  an  an- 
chorage, a  market-place,  and  an  old  city.  The  island 
Insagura  is  distant  60  stadia  towards  the  east.  It  has 
a  harbor  and  near  the  harbor  a  temple  of  Apollo.  Here 
is  also  another  island  at  a  distance  of  3  stadia,  called 
Mese;  it  has  an  anchorage.  The  third  island  is  called 
Myle.     The  channel  is  deep.     It  has  a  market-place." 

If  to  the  above  periploi  of  the  Mediterranean  we 
add  the  account  of  the  expedition  of  Hanno  of  465  b.  c. 

li 


along  the  coast  of  Africa,  perhaps  as  far  as  Sierra  Leone, 
which  account  contains  much  information  of  interest,  not 
unlike  in  character  that  given  by  the  periplus  of  Scylax, 
and  the  Ora  Maritima  of  Avienus,  describing  in  like 
manner  the  Atlantic  coast  of  West  Europe,  we  have 
practically  all  in  the  way  of  directions  for  seamen  that 
is  preserved  from  antiquity. 

The  middle  ages  having  little  or  nothing  of  value 
to  present — a  few  scattered  extracts  from  earlier  writers, 
a  few  maps  of  no  special  value  to  navigators, — we  may, 
therefore,  pass  directly  to  a  word  concerning  the  Italian 
portolans. 

The  Italian  portolan,  as  has  been  stated,  resembles 
the  Greek  periplus  in  style  and  composition.  This  sug- 
gests that  these  later  sailing  directions  are  a  development 
from  the  former.  Such  a  relationship,  however,  is  not 
at  all  easy  to  establish,  since  no  example  is  known  clearly 
representing  the  transition.  There  is,  moreover,  in  the 
Italian  portolan  that  which  gives  it  the  appearance  of 
a  new  and  an  independent  production.  Very  many  of 
the  places  along  the  coasts  have  names  other  than  those 
in  the  early  periploi;  a  large  number  of  new  names 
appear;  many  of  the  old  ones  are  omitted,  which  fact 
suggests  that  places  once  known  as  important  had  ceased 
to  be  so  considered;  distances  are  given  in  miles  instead 
of  stadia,  and  direction  is  usually  recorded. 

The  number  of  portolans  known  antedating  1500  is 
not  large.  In  all  there  are  about  sixteen,  some  of  these 
being  mere  fragments,  others  are  very  nearly  complete 
for  the  regions  under  consideration,  and  most  of  them 
are  in  manuscript.  Those  coasts  may  be  said  to  be  in- 
cluded in  the  Italian  portolans  which  Italian  traders  were 

accustomed  to  visit,  that  is,  the  coasts  and  islands  of  the 

12 


*  '  &  ■ 


Mediterranean,  the  Atlantic  coast  of  Europe  as  far  as 
Flanders,  the  south  coast  of  England  and  Ireland,  with 
the  Atlantic  coast  of  Africa  to  the  vicinity  of  Cape 
Bojador,  including  the  Canary  Islands.  It  is  interest- 
ing to  note  that  these  are  the  coasts  included  in  the 
great  majority  of  the  portolan  charts,  with  additions,  as 
geographical  knowledge  expanded,  until  they  became  in 
some  instances  world  charts. 

The  latest  Greek  periplus  of  importance — the  Sta- 
diasmos — is  of  the  fourth  or  fifth  century;  the  oldest  of 
the  mediaeval  portolans  is  of  the  eleventh  century,  and 
is  to  be  found  in  the  Ecclesiastical  History  of  Adam  of 
Bremen,  being  rather  an  imperfect  sketch  of  the  coast 
from  the  mouth  of  the  Maas  River  to  Acre  in  Pales- 
tine. The  text  of  this  portolan,  together  with  the  text 
of  the  others  known,  may  be  found  in  a  critical  work 
by  Kretschmer,  Die  italienischen  Portolane  des  Mittel- 
alters,  pp.  233-552. 

The  following  somewhat  free  translation  of  passages 
contained  in  the  Parma-Magliabecchi  portolan  of  the 
early  fifteenth  century  will  serve  to  illustrate  the  char- 
acter of  these  Italian  harbor  books  prepared  for  seamen. 

"  45. — From  Carminar  to  Cartagena  is  20  miles — 
northeast  by  east.  Cartagena  is  a  good  port  at  all 
seasons,  before  which  port  there  are  islands  a  mile  dis- 
tant. You  may  pass  between  any  of  these  islands  and 
the  mainland  which  forms  a  point.  As  you  enter  the 
port,  beware  of  shoals.  Sail  close  to  the  middle  of  the 
channel,  but  towards  the  northeastern  shore,  where  you 
may  anchor.  Beware  of  sailing  too  close  to  a  shoal 
recently  discovered  on  the  east  side.  Enter  the  port, 
keeping  the  mainland  about  two  prows'  lengths  distant, 
where    you   have   six    and   six    and   a   half    fathoms    of 

13 


water.  About  the  year  1445,  it  is  said,  a  ship  was 
wrecked  here  during  a  calm,  though  the  vessel  did  not 
strike  a  rock.  The  landmark  of  Cartagena  is  a  high 
bald  mountain  on  the  east.  On  the  west  lies  another 
mountain.  Between  is  the  entrance  to  Cartagena.  Near 
the  entrance  lies  an  island,  and  you  may  pass  between 
this  and  the  mainland.  Passing  the  island,  you  enter 
deep  water,  and  a  good  anchoring-place." 

"  54. — From  Sallo  to  Barcelona  is  60  miles  east-north- 
east, quarter  east.  Barcelona  is  a  city  with  a  shore 
which  lies  toward  the  east  having  a  roadstead  with  a 
depth  of  22  paces,  in  front  of  the  city.  On  the  south- 
east by  south  of  Barcelona  is  a  low  place  called  Lobri- 
gato.  In  departing,  steer  to  the  east  from  the  shore, 
taking  notice  of  a  castle  which  rises  from  a  depression 
leading  toward  Sallo. 

The  landmark  of  Barcelona  is  a  high,  abrupt,  and 
isolated  mountain  called  Monserrate.  When  you  are 
northeast  of  this,  continue  in  that  direction,  and  you  will 
observe  a  low  mountain  with  a  tower  on  it  called  Mongich 
(Montguich) .     Here  is  Barcelona." 

"  56. — From  San  Filio  to  Palamosa  is  10  miles 
east-northeast,  quarter  east.  Palamosa  is  a  good  port 
facing  a  tower  where  you  may  anchor.  In  case  you 
come  from  the  east,  take  care  of  a  shoal  that  is  close  to 
the  point.  From  Palamosa  to  the  anchoring-place  of 
Acqua  Fredda,  12  miles  east-northeast,  quarter  east. 
Do  not  approach  nearer  the  land  than  one  and  a 
half  miles  by  the  beacon.  The  landmark  of  this  bay  is 
a  high  mountain,  bald  and  cut  sheer  to  the  sea,  with 
islands  in  the  distance." 

It  may  be  noted  that  the  portolans  make  their  ap- 
pearance with  the  awakening  of  the  commercial  activities 

14 


in  the  coast  cities  of  Europe,  notably  in  the  Italian 
cities,  about  the  tenth  or  eleventh  century,  and  that  for 
a  period  of  two  or  three  centuries,  they  served  the 
mariners  as  a  necessary  guide  in  navigation,  just  as  did 
the  periploi  in  the  earlier  day.  But  the  quickened  com- 
mercial activities,  coupled  with  the  discovery  and  use  of 
the  compass,  were  calculated  to  lead  to  a  speedy  sub- 
stitution of  the  chart  for  the  portolan,  and  portolan 
charts  make  their  first  appearance  in  what  it  seems 
proper  to  call  a  very  advanced  state  of  development  in 
the  years  of  transition  from  the  thirteenth  to  the  four- 
teenth century.  The  stages  and  the  processes  of  that 
development  we  do  not  know  with  certainty.  We  may, 
however,  rest  assured  that  there  is  a  very  close  relation- 
ship between  the  compass  and  the  portolan  chart,  as 
such  charts  multiply  very  rapidly  in  the  years  following 
the  application  of  the  compass  to  navigation,  but  we 
cannot  be  quite  sure  that  they  owe  their  origin  to  the 
use  of  the  compass.  It  seems,  therefore,  not  appropri- 
ate to  call  these  charts  compass  charts  as  has  often  been 
done,  if  thereby  we  mean  to  imply  that  they  are  based 
fundamentally  on  information  acquired  through  the  use  of 
the  compass.  Though  the  crossing  lines  may  indicate 
sailing  directions,  they  have  not  the  real  character  of  loxo- 
dromes,  since  they  were  not  constructed  on  those  scien- 
tific principles  which  enter  into  real  loxodrome  charts, 
and  furthermore  it  may  well  be  doubted  that  the  earliest 
charts  of  this  character  were  furnished  with  crossing 
lines.  The  term  loxodrome  chart  is  likewise  not  con- 
clusively an  appropriate  name  for  them.  We  may  say, 
in  short,  that  we  find  in  them  some  of  the  elements  of 
the  simple  loxodrome  chart,  that  is,  one  crossed  with 
lines  running  from  port  to  port  to  indicate  sailing  direc- 

15 


tions;  the  elements  of  a  compass  chart  in  which  the 
compass  has  played  a  part  in  determining  location  and 
direction;  the  elements  of  the  ancient  periplus — the  old- 
est known  pilot-book  for  navigators;  the  elements  of  the 
mediaeval  portolan,  which  is  a  more  elaborate  descrip- 
tion than  is  the  former  of  coasts  and  harbors  and  sailing 
directions;  and  that  we  find  in  the  portolan  the  chief 
corner-stone  on  which  rest  the  charts  here  under  consid- 
eration— hence  we  may  very  appropriately  call  them 
portolan  charts.  It  may  be  further  stated  by  way  of 
explanation  that  Carta  nautica  is  the  term  which  is  gen- 
erally employed  by  Italian  scholars  in  referring  to  these 
charts.  With  them  the  word  portolano  signifies  only  a 
coast  or  harbor-book.  The  chart-makers  themselves,  in 
referring  to  their  work,  most  frequently  used  the  word 
carta.  On  the  oldest  dated  portolan  chart,  we  find  the 
legend  "  Petrus  Vesconte  de  janua  fecit  ista  carta  anno 
domini  MCCCXI,"  and  in  a  legend  on  the  first  chart 
of  his  atlas  of  1313,  we  find  the  word  tabulas  employed. 
In  a  chart  dated  1605,  Maiolo  uses  the  term  carta 
nauticatoria.  Occasionally  the  word  employed  by  a 
chart-maker  to  refer  to  his  work  is  merely  the  personal 
pronoun,  as  "  Vicentius  Prunes  in  civis  Majoricarum 
me  fecit  anno  1597." 

Portolan  charts  have  been  preserved  in  very  large 
number,  of  which  number  near  one  hundred  antedate  1500. 
In  the  sixteenth  century  unaltered  in  their  fundamental 
character  but  more  highly  decorated  than  those  of  the 
fourteenth  century,  and  having  additional  details,  they 
become  far  more  numerous.  With  a  few  exceptions,  they 
are  the  work  of  Italian  and  Catalan  chart-makers,  a  fact 
which  is  especially  true  of  the  earlier  examples.  Herein 
is  a  most  significant  witness  of  the  leadership  exercised 

16 


7.  CONTE  DE  OTHOMANO  FREDUCCI,    1537  CHART  TWO  OF  ATLAS. 


by  the  seamen  of  the  Italian  and  of  the  eastern  Iberian 
Peninsula;  a  leadership  held  for  near  half  a  millennium, 
beginning  as  early  as  the  eleventh  century,  and  continu- 
ing until  America  had  been  discovered,  Africa  had  been 
circumnavigated,  and  the  water  route  to  the  Indies  had 
been  made  known. 

In  general  they  are  drawn  on  parchment,  as  has  been 
stated  above,  that  is,  on  sheep  skin,  goat  skin,  or  calf 
skin,  but  in  time  paper  came  to  be  used,  after  which 
the  number  of  charts  of  this  general  character,  with  addi- 
tions of  numerous  details  for  the  interior  regions,  was 
greatly  increased  by  means  of  the  printing-press. 

They  are  preserved  in  two  forms,  either  in  single 
sheets,  or  in  sheets  bound  together,  as  an  atlas,  and  these 
atlases,  in  a  few  instances,  contain  as  many  as  twenty 
or  twenty-five  charts.  In  size  the  sheets  vary  from 
11  x  15  cm.  in  the  very  remarkable  charts  of  the 
Tammar  Loxoro  atlas  of  the  fourteenth  century  to  70  x 
148  cm.,  the  size  of  the  large  single  sheet  chart  drawn 
by  Pareto  in  the  fifteenth  century.  The  larger  world 
charts,  as  the  Canerio,  were  drawn  on  two  or  more 
parchment  sheets,  which  were  securely  joined  together. 
In  the  case  of  the  single  sheet  charts,  the  size,  it  seems, 
was  most  often  determined  by  the  size  of  the  skin  on 
which  it  was  drawn,  it  being  true  in  most  cases  that  the 
entire  skin  was  used,  even  the  neck  being  retained,  which 
fact  accounts  for  the  peculiar  and  apparently  unneces- 
sary extension  of  the  sheet  usually  on  the  left.  In  the 
portolan  atlases,  the  several  leaves  were  often  made  of 
two  sheets  or  skins  pasted  together  on  the  rougher  sur- 
face, leaving  the  smoother  surface  for  the  drawing,  which 
surface  received  the  colors  to  much  better  advantage. 

These  charts,  as  before  stated,  include  in  general  the 

17 


regions  which  are  referred  to  in  the  portolans.  The 
single  sheet  charts  embrace  the  Mediterranean,  and 
the  Atlantic  coast  of  Europe  which  terminates  in  the 
north  either  at  Cape  Finisterre  or  the  Scandinavian 
Peninsula,  with  a  part  of  the  Baltic  Sea  and  the  British 
islands.  In  the  east  they  include  the  Black  Sea,  in  the 
south  a  part  of  the  Red  Sea  and  the  north  coast  of 
Africa,  with  the  Atlantic  coast  of  this  continent  to  a 
point  near  Cape  Bojador. 

In  the  atlases  the  Mediterranean  is  usually  divided 
into  three  sections  with  one  chart  for  each;  one  chart 
includes  the  Black  Sea,  and  one  or  two  set  forth  the 
Atlantic  coast  regions. 

If  additional  charts  were  added  they  usually  included 
a  world  chart,  one  or  two  for  the  African  coasts,  one 
perhaps  for  the  British  islands,  one  for  the  Baltic,  and 
one  or  more  for  the  southern  Asiatic  coasts.  A  superior 
example  of  an  enlarged  though  early  portolan  atlas  is 
that  recently  issued  by  The  Hispanic  Society  of  America 
in  facsimile,  being  a  reproduction  of  a  British  Museum 
manuscript,  and  edited  by  the  author  of  this  monograph. 

Portolan  charts  are  projectionless,  that  is,  they  do 
not  appear  to  have  been  drawn  according  to  mathematical 
principles  or  rules,  though  they  were  probably  based  upon 
measurements  and  careful  calculation.  Their  striking 
approach  to  accuracy,  especially  for  the  Mediterranean 
region,  is,  as  before  stated,  one  of  their  most  remarkable 
features.  No  two  are  alike,  and  yet  they  have  so  many 
features  in  common  that  it  appears  they  are  copies  of 
a  common  original,  or  that  there  has  been  a  conscious 
imitation  by  each  chart-maker  as  he  has  set  himself  to 
his  task  of  chart-making. 

It  is  well  established  that  most  Roman  maps  were 

18 


oriented  with  the  south  at  the  top,  an  arrangement  which 
is  to  be  met  with  in  the  majority  of  Arabic  maps.  Maps 
of  the  early  mediaeval  centuries  have  the  east  at  the  top, 
and  on  the  uppermost  border  a  representation  of  the 
earthly  paradise,  as  if  to  give  this  prominence,  it  being 
perhaps  the  chief  factor  in  determining  the  orientation. 
Portolan  charts,  with  rare  exception,  are  oriented  with 
the  north  at  the  top,  an  idea  which  has  since  prevailed 
in  all  map  construction.  Herein  one  seems  to  find 
evidence  of  the  influence  of  the  compass  in  chart 
construction. 

A  critical  examination  will  show  that  in  the  draught- 
ing the  chart  is  turned  slightly  to  the  left,  the  amount 
being  near  one  point  of  the  compass.  As  a  result  of 
this,  geographical  localities,  on  the  right  of  the  chart 
for  example,  are  placed  relatively  too  far  to  the  north. 
Although  there  is  in  this  fact  the  suggestion  that  the  com- 
pass had  been  employed  in  their  construction,  or  in 
making  the  observations  on  which  they  are  based,  and 
that  the  declination  of  the  needle  had  exerted  an  influ- 
ence, it  may  be  noted  that  an  acceptable  argument  has 
been  advanced  showing  that  Constantinople  on  maps 
since  the  time  of  Ptolemy  had  been  placed  too  far  north 
by  at  least  two  degrees.  It  appears,  therefore,  that  the 
error  in  part  is  one  handed  down  from  an  early  day. 
The  existence  of  the  error  will  be  readily  seen  on  a 
critical  examination  of  the  location  of  any  selected  point 
in  the  eastern  Mediterranean.1  As  to  the  length  of  the 
Mediterranean  from  east  to  west,  the  near  approach  to 
accuracy  is  also  most  striking.  The  error  in  very  many 
of  the  sixteenth-century  maps,  traceable  to  Ptolemy,  and 
appearing  on  his  maps,  is  nearly  twenty  degrees,  whereas 

1  Vid.    Reproduction  No.  22  for  an  exception. 

19 


on  the  portolan  charts  the  error  seldom  exceeds  one 
degree. 

Into  a  critical  consideration  of  the  problems  of  scale 
and  distance  as  represented  in  portolan  charts,  we  shall 
not  be  able  to  enter  in  this  brief  description.  It  is  in- 
teresting, however,  to  note  in  this  place  that  the  same 
scale  does  not  appear  to  have  been  employed  for  the? 
Atlantic  coast  that  was  employed  for  the  Mediterranean. 
Though  this  fact  is  not  always  strikingly  prominent,  yet 
it  is  clearly  indicated  in  a  large  number  of  the  charts.1 
Herein  we  may  find  an  explanation  for  the  frequent  dis- 
tortion of  the  coast  regions  lying  beyond  the  Straits  of 
Gibraltar,  and  for  the  fact  that  the  extension  of  Europe 
in  latitude  is  greatly  reduced.  It  may  further  be  noted, 
as  a  partial  explanation  of  some  of  the  portolan  chart- 
makers'  errors,  that  it  is  physically  impossible  to  represent 
on  a  plain  surface  correct  distances,  retaining  at  the  same 
time  correct  latitude  and  longitude. 

A  scale  of  miles  divided  into  fifths  or  tenths  is  usu- 
ally drawn  on  these  charts,  often  in  as  many  as  four 
or  five  different  places,  and  frequently  on  charts  of  later 
years  in  a  very  elaborate  cartouche.  It  is  often  very  evi- 
dent that  the  drafting  of  such  a  scale  was  not  done  with 
careful  attention  to  accuracy.  Uzielli  is  of  the  opinion 
that  it  was  the  Roman  mile  of  1481  m.  which  was  gen- 
erally taken  as  the  unit  of  measurement. 

Prior  to  1500,  degrees  of  latitude  and  longitude  were 
seldom  if  ever  indicated  on  portolan  charts,  and  it  may 
be  noted  that  degrees  of  latitude  are  first  to  be  met  with 
on  the  marine  chart  of  Canerio,  recently  issued  by  the 
author  of  this  paper  in  size  of  the  original. 

A  feature  of  these  charts,  never  failing  to  attract,  is 

1  Vid.     Reproduction  No.  20. 

20 


the  network  of  lines  with  which  they  are  crossed.  Though 
in  some  instances,  a  large  number  of  these  lines  appear 
to  have  been  drawn  as  mere  fancy  directed,  it  will  gen- 
erally be  found  that  they  are  arranged  according  to  a 
carefully  devised  scheme,  and  that  the  lines,  usually 
thirty-two  in  number,  radiate  from  a  number  of  crossing 
points,  systematically  distributed  over  the  chart.  The 
number  of  crossing  points  is  not  always  found  to  be 
the  same,  this  being  frequently  determined  by  the  size  of 
the  sheet.  On  portolan  charts  there  will  usually  be 
found  a  central  point  of  radiation  about  which,  in  a 
circle,  whose  diameter  is  very  nearly  the  width  of  the 
sheet,  eight  or  sixteen  other  crossing  points  are  repre- 
sented, each  of  which  is  connected  with  the  centre  and 
usually  with  every  other  indicated  point.  On  the  larger 
sheets,  additional  crossing  points  appear,  which  points, 
it  will  be  observed,  also  fall  into  a  well-arranged  system. 
There  was  no  attempt  at  a  special  ornamentation  of  these 
crossing  points  in  the  earlier  charts,  but  with  the  pass- 
ing years,  we  find  now  one,  now  more,  especially  designed 
figures  for  them:  wind  roses  or  compass  roses  these  have 
been  called.  It  is  in  part  due  to  the  peculiar  design  of 
these  roses  that  the  name  compass  chart  first  came  into 
use.  While  the  ornamentation  is  not  always  clearly  that 
resembling  the  compass  card,  it  frequently  is  such,  hav- 
ing that  point  which  is  directed  to  the  sidereal  or  true  north 
extended  as  if  to  represent  the  magnetic  needle,  but  this 
extension,  it  will  be  noted,  never  indicates  the  needle's 
declination.  Not  until  1532  do  we  find  a  printed  chart 
on  which  the  variation  of  the  compass  is  represented,  this 
being  on  Ziegler's  map  of  Palestine,  and  not  until  1595 
is  this  declination  represented  on  a  marine  chart.  It  is 
not  infrequent  that  these  ornaments  are  a  most  striking 

21 


feature  of  portolan  charts,  though  adding  little  to  their 
scientific  value. 

The  suggestion  has  been  made  that  the  crossing  lines 
were  originally  intended  as  construction  lines,  being  laid 
down  by  the  draftsman  to  guide  him  in  sketching  his 
coasts  and  in  locating  his  places  of  special  geographical 
interest,  but  so  few  are  the  instances  which  might  be 
cited  in  support  of  the  theory,  that  one  is  safe  in 
asserting  it  to  have  been  the  rule  with  chart-makers 
to  insert  the  lines  after  their  charts  had  been 
drafted. 

In  the  ancient  day,  it  was  a  common  practice  with 
those  who  had  occasion  to  refer  to  such  matters,  to  de- 
signate each  quarter  of  the  heavens  by  the  wind  which 
blew  from  that  quarter.  The  north  was  Boreas,  the  west 
was  Zephyrus,  and  the  number  of  winds,  that  is,  direc- 
tions, at  first  limited  to  four,  was  increased  in  time  to 
eight,  then  to  sixteen.  The  Italian  chart-makers,  in 
general,  referred  to  the  winds  as  eight  in  number,  often 
representing  them  on  their  charts  in  the  wind  or  compass 
roses  by  the  first  or  initial  letter  of  the  name.  These 
eight  winds  were  Tramontana,  the  north,  represented  by 
the  needle  point  =  © ,  the  northeast  Greco  =  G,  the  east 
Levante,  represented  by  the  Greek  cross  =  HK  the  south- 
east Scirocco  ==  S,  the  south  Ostro  ==  O,  the  southwest 
Libeccio  =  L,  the  west  Ponente  =  P,  the  northwest 
Maestro  =  M.1  We  find  herein  a  suggestion  that  the 
crossing  lines  were  originally  intended  to  represent  the 
direction  of  the  winds,  that  is,  direction.  In  time,  with 
the  more  general  use  of  the  compass,  the  older  practice 
yielded  to  the  newer  practice  with  seamen  and  direction 
came  to  be  referred  to  in  terms  of  compass  points  rather 

1  Vid.     Reproduction  No.  12  for  an  excellent  illustration. 

22 


than  in  the  names  of  the  winds,  as  for  example,  North, 
N  by  E,  NNE,  NE  by  N. 

The  information  as  to  geographical  details  which  is 
contained  in  portolan  charts,  though  not  extensive,  is  of 
much  historical  interest.  It  will  be  observed  that  the 
coast  lines,  in  general,  have  been  sketched  with  care,  and 
usually  are  continuous,  broken  only  where  rivers  are 
represented  as  emptying  into  the  sea.  Bays  and  head- 
lands, if  not  accurately  inscribed,  show  that  the  chart- 
maker  must  have  had  before  him  information  which  had 
been  intelligently  collected.  In  some  instances,  the  coast 
appears  as  a  succession  of  short  curved  lines,  the  result  of 
which  is  to  add  a  feature  of  ruggedness.  Legends  are  not 
inscribed  directing  attention  to  rocks  and  shoals,  but  these 
are  indicated  by  small  dots  or  crosses  along  the  coast  lines. 

Care  seems  to  have  been  exercised  to  have  all  islands 
represented,  and  while  generally  located  with  a  near  ap- 
proach to  accuracy,  they  are  often  found  to  be  much  out 
of  proportion  as  to  size. 

The  technique  of  portolan  charts  is  by  no  means 
complex,  as  the  geographical  information,  especially  in 
the  earlier  charts,  is  limited  to  the  coast  of  the  main- 
land, or  of  the  islands.  Place  names  are  numerous — for 
the  coast  of  the  Mediterranean  alone,  the  number  some- 
times exceeds  one  thousand — and  these  names,  running 
directly  inland  from  the  coast,  with  rare  exceptions  were 
written  in  small  letters,  though  for  the  regional  names, 
which  were  inscribed  in  the  later  charts,  capitals  were 
employed.  Since  the  names  run  landward  from  the  coast 
lines,  it  will  therefore  be  noticed,  as  one  examines  the 
chart,  having  the  north  above,  that  many  of  the  names 
are  inverted.     A  large  majority  of  the  place  names  are 

in  black,  but  it  is  a  striking  feature  that  many  are  in 

23 


red,  and  it  is  usually  the  same  names  so  written  in  the 
several  charts.  This  fact  appears  to  have  no  other  signifi- 
cance than  that  a  certain  special  importance  then  attached, 
or  at  least  once  attached,  to  the  place  entered  in  red. 

As  these  charts  were  intended  primarily  for  the  use 
of  seamen,  there  was  naturally  little  occasion  for  at- 
tention to  the  geographical  features  of  the  interior 
regions.  These  regions,  wanting  all  reference  to  physi- 
cal features  particularly  in  the  earlier  charts,  have, 
therefore,  a  certain  prominence  by  way  of  contrast,  being 
blank  save  for  the  crossing  lines.  With  the  passing 
years,  more  and  yet  more  of  geographical  detail  came 
to  have  representation  on  inland  regions.  River  courses 
in  time  were  represented,  though  at  first  with  striking 
inaccuracy:  mountain  ranges  were  made  to  cross  certain 
sections,  but  clearly  attesting  the  want  of  exact  informa- 
tion: important  cities  were  often  made  more  conspicuous 
by  means  of  pictures,1  but  cities  represented  in  the  interior 
show  a  want  of  knowledge  of  their  exact  location.  Terri- 
torial boundaries  do  not  appear,  but  many  of  the  separate 
states  bear  their  respective  names,  and  often  in  addition 
are  distinguished  by  an  appropriate  and  highly  orna- 
mented coat-of-arms.  Castile,  for  example,  has  the 
quartered  field  with  the  castle  on  a  red,  and  a  red  lion 
on  silver,  ground ;  Aragon,  a  red  standard  in  a  gold  field ; 
Portuguese  territory,  a  banner  having  five  dots  in  a  blue 
field;  the  Knights  of  St.  John,  a  silver  cross  on  a  red 
ground;  Venice,  the  gold  lion  of  St.  Mark  on  blue 
ground;  Turkish  territory,  a  banner  displaying  the  half 
moon;  regions  remote  and  unknown,  as  Tartaria,  by  a 
ruler  on  his  throne  or  an  elaborately  drawn  tent. 

1  Vid.    For  reproduction  of  picture  of  Genoa,  p.  28,  from  Bartolomeo 
Olivo. 

24 


In  addition  to  the  features  just  described,  legends 
were  often  inserted,  where  space  permitted,  referring  to 
the  products  of  the  region  bearing  the  legend,  or  to  the 
character  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  same.  Much  of  this 
information  appears  to  have  been  derived  from  Pliny, 
Solinus,  Isidor,  or  from  travellers  such  as  Marco  Polo, 
or  Nicolo  di  Conti.  Such  legends  or  descriptive  records 
are,  however,  generally  confined  to  the  world  charts  of  the 
portolan  type  which  occasionally  are  to  be  found  in 
portolan  atlases,  as  for  example,  in  the  atlas  of  Bianco 
of  1436  or  in  such  as  the  Catalan  world  chart  of  about 
1450,  belonging  to  the  Royal  Estense  Library  of  Modena, 
Italy.  Now  and  then  one  finds  the  earthly  paradise 
represented,  as  in  mediaeval  cloister  maps.  Gog  and 
Magog  were  often  located  by  the  chart-makers,  as  was 
Prester  John,  properly  adorned  as  a  Christian  ruler,  and 
in  the  Atlantic  we  frequently  find  the  so-called  fabulous 
islands  such  as  Antillia,  Satanaxa,  Isla  de  Man,  Brasil, 
St.  Brandan. 

Many  of  the  portolan  charts  are  both  signed  and 
dated,  while  many  are  wanting  such  inscriptions.  Where 
author  and  date  legend  is  given  it  is  usually  found  in- 
serted on  the  left  of  the  sheet  and  is  very  brief,  as, 
"  Petrus  Roselli  composuit  hanc  cartam  in  civitate 
Maioricarum  anno  domini  M  cccc  lx  iij."  *  It  is  seldom 
easy  to  determine  the  exact  age  of  an  undated  chart, 
remembering  that  such  as  are  dated  frequently  contain 
records  which  clearly  indicate  carelessness  on  the  part 
of  the  chart-maker  or  the  influence  of  tradition,  as  may 
be  seen  in  the  representation  of  a  banner,  after  the 
authority  so  indicated  in  a  locality  has  been  overthrown. 
A  noted  instance  of  such  false  record  is  the  representa- 

1  Vid.    Reproduction  No.  2. 

25 


tion  of  the  cross  of  the  Knights  of  St.  John  over  the 
island  of  Rhodes  long  after  that  island  had  fallen  into 
the  hands  of  the  Turks.  It  may  further  be  stated  that 
one  is  not  always  justified  in  giving  to  a  chart  a  date 
prior  to  a  known  great  geographical  discovery  seeing 
that  such  event  is  not  recorded.  Portolan  chart-makers 
were  generally  inclined  to  make  full  use  in  their  own 
records  of  that  which  they  found  at  hand.  The  majority 
of  them  were  loth  to  break  with  tradition  or  to  correct 
an  error,  yet  we  cannot  deny  to  some  of  them  a  place 
of  leadership  in  trans-marine  discovery  as  we  find  in  their 
charts  islands  laid  down  far  to  the  west  in  the  Atlantic, 
the  insertion  of  which,  though  not  always  resting  on 
authentic  discovery,  unquestionably  served  to  embolden 
such  navigators  as  were  eager  for  the  finding  of  new 
lands. 

It  remains  to  refer  to  one  of  the  most  attractive  fea- 
tures of  portolan  charts,  that  is  to  the  colors  employed. 
In  some  of  them  the  work  of  the  miniaturist  of  the 
period  is  seen  at  its  best.  In  the  earliest  examples  color 
was  but  sparingly  used,  but  with  the  advancing  years 
it  became  more  and  more  a  feature.  The  compass  or 
wind  rose,  at  first  simple  in  character,  seemed  in  time  to 
offer  to  the  chart-maker  an  opportunity  to  display  his 
sense  of  the  artistic,  and  not  infrequently  we  find  roses 
which  are  very  elaborate.  Banners  to  be  truthful  pre- 
sentations needed  color,  and  they  often  appear  in  great 
numbers  and  in  brilliant  tones.  Much  care  was  fre- 
quently given  to  drafting  designs  in  which  to  inscribe 
the  scale  of  miles,  or  to  the  addition  of  a  suitable  border 
for  the  chart.  The  effort  to  emphasize  the  importance 
of  certain  cities  led  to  the  addition  of  fine  bits  of  minia- 
ture work  to  the  chart's  decorations. 

26 


As  the  crossing  lines  appear  at  first  to  want  system 
or  order  in  arrangement,  but  on  close  examination  are 
found  to  have  been  laid  down  in  accord  with  a  well- 
devised  scheme,  so  the  color  as  represented  in  these  lines 
and  in  the  compass  or  wind  roses  seems  at  first  to  have 
been  added  regardless  of  rule  or  of  special  plan,  whereas 
chart-makers  were  here  most  careful  in  the  observance 
of  rule. 

It  may  have  been,  primarily,  for  practical  reasons 
that  any  color  scheme  was  employed  at  all  for  the  cross- 
ing lines.  From  the  multitude  of  these  lines  confusion 
would  have  prevailed  in  the  attempt  to  use  the  chart  were 
the  lines  of  one  color.  With  rare  exceptions,  it  will 
be  found  that  the  lines  indicating  the  eight  principal, 
winds  or  directions  are  in  black,  the  half  winds  in  green, 
and  the  quarter  winds  in  red.  For  the  colors  in  the 
several  roses  or  cards,  a  certain  freedom  prevailed,  espe- 
cially in  the  case  of  those  of  complicated  design.  Con- 
tinental coast  lines  were  generally  colored  but  lightly, 
though  occasionally  there  was  a  liberal  application  of 
green  or  blue  which  was  often  edged  with  a  line  of  gold. 
The  coast  lines  of  the  larger  islands  were  usually  treated 
as  the  continental  coasts,  but  smaller  islands  were  en- 
tirely overed  with  red,  blue,  silver,  or  gold,  and  in  the 
case  of  the  smallest  of  these  islands,  where  numerous, 
the  color  was  applied  so  as  to  produce  the  most  artistic 
effect  regardless  of  rule.  Of  the  five  or  six  colors  em- 
ployed, red,  green,  blue,  black,  gold,  yellow,  the  red 
seems  to  be  the  best  preserved. 

Seldom  was  color  employed  for  the  larger  bodies  of 
water,  except  in  the  case  of  the  Red  Sea,  which  in- 
variably exhibits  the  influence  of  tradition,  being  colored 
red,  while  on  certain  world  charts  of  the  portolan  type, 

27 


the  larger  seas  and  oceans  were  covered  with  waving 
blue  or  green  lines,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  Catalan  chart 
of  1450. 

Such  then  in  origin,  character,  and  importance  are 
portolan  charts  with  which  modern  scientific  chart  or 
map-making  had  its  beginning.  Apparently  first  con- 
structed in  the  thirteenth  century  they  multiply  rapidly 
throughout  the  fourteenth,  fifteenth,  and  sixteenth  cen- 
turies as  before  stated,  retaining  most  of  the  characteristics 
exhibited  in  earliest  examples.  Though  remarkable  for 
their  near  approach  to  accuracy,  it  appears  not  a  little 
surprising  that  the  learned  chart-makers  of  the  sixteenth 
century  did  not  in  general  accept  them  at  their  value 
until  Ptolemy's  maps,  by  actual  astronomical  measure- 
ments, had  been  shown  to  be  inaccurate.  With  seamen, 
however,  these  manuscript  parchment  charts  remained  in 
favor  long  after  the  invention  of  printing  and  its  use 
in  the  multiplication  of  maps  and  charts. 


28 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Herodotus:  History.  Vide  passages  relating  to  Near- 
chus,  Hanno,  Scylax,  et  al. 

Pliny:     Natural  History,  iii-vi. 

Carolus  Mullerus  [Ed.]  :  Geographi  graeci  minores, 
i.,  pp.  15-96.  Vide  for  the  text  of  Scylax,  i.,  pp. 
427-514,  for  the  text  of  the  Stadiasmos. 

Ptolemy:  Vide  various  editions  of  his  Geography  for 
reference  to  Marinus. 

Nordenskiold  :  Facsimile  Atlas.  Stockholm,  1889. 
Vide  for  a  review  of  Ptolemy's  contributions  in  the 
field  of  geography,  with  references  to  Marinus. 

Nordenskiold:  Periplus.  Stockholm,  1897.  Vide  for 
a  summary  of  accounts  of  early  maritime  expeditions, 
with  extensive  extracts  from  the  periploi,  also  refer- 
ence to  portolan  charts,  their  character,  standard  of 
measurement,  legends,  with  numerous  reproductions. 

Uzielli  e  Amat  di  S.  Filippo:  Studi  biografici  e 
bibliografici  sulla  storia  della  geografia  in  Italia. 
Vol.  ii.,  Roma,  1882.  An  extensive  list  of  portolan 
charts  with  brief  descriptions.  Bibliography,  pp. 
303-312. 

Fischer,  Th.:  Sammlung  mittelalterlicher  Welt-  und 
Seekarten  italienischen  Ursprungs  und  aus  italien- 
ischen  Bibliotheken  und  Archiven.  Venedig,  1886. 
Contains  chapters  on  portolan  charts  which  are 
scholarly. 

29 


Kretschmer,  K.:  Die  italienischen  Portolane  des 
Mittelalters.  Berlin,  1909.  This  contains  a  sum- 
mary, not  unlike  that  by  Nordenskiold  in  his  Peri- 
plus,  but  is  not  in  all  points  in  agreement  with  that 
work.  It  contains  the  texts  of  the  known  portolans, 
with  a  list  of  names  to  be  found  in  portolans  and 
portolan  charts.     An  exceedingly  valuable  work. 

Can  ale:  Storia  de  commercio,  dei  viaggi,  delle  scoperte 
e  carte  nautiche  degl'  Italiani.     Genova,  1866. 

Wuttke,  H. :  Zur  Geschichte  der  Erdkunde  im  letzten 
Drittel  des  Mittelalters.  Die  Karten  der  seefahren- 
den  Volker  Siideuropas.     Dresden,  1871. 

Lelewel,  J.:  Geographie  du  moyen  age,  accompagnee 
d' Atlas  et  de  Cartes  dans  chaque  Volume.  4  parts. 
Bruxelles,  1852-57. 

Atlas  compose  de  cinquante  planches.     Bruxelles, 

1850.    This  published  to  illustrate  the  preceding  work. 

Santarem:  Atlas  compose  des  Cartes  des  XIV,  XV, 
XVI,  XVII  siecles  pour  la  plupart  inedites,  et 
devant  servir  de  preuves  a  l'ouvrage  sur  la  priorite 
de  la  decouverte  de  la  cote  occidentale  d'Afrique 
au  dela  du  cap  Bojador  par  les  Portugais.  Paris, 
1841. 

Matkovich,  P.:  Alte  handschriftliche  Schifferkarten 
in  den  Bibliotheken  zu  Venedig.     Wien,  1863. 

Luca,  G.  de:  Carte  nautiche  del  medio  evo  designate 
in  Italia.     Napoli,  1866. 

Desimoni,  C:  Intorno  ai  Cartografi  italiani  e  di  loro 
lavori  manoscritti  e  specialmente  nautici.  Roma, 
1877. 

Errera,  C. :  Atlanti  e  Carte  nautiche  dal  secolo  XIV  al 
XVII  conservati  nelle  biblioteche  pubbliche  e  private 
di  Milano.     In  Rivista  geografica  Ital.,  iii.     1896. 

30 


Maecel,     G.:     Recueil     de     Portulans.     Reproduction 

heliographique. 
Choix  de  cartes  et  de  mappemondes  des  XIV,  XV 

siecles.     1896. 
Raccolta  di  Mappamondi  e  carte  nautiche  del  XIII  al 

XVI  secolo  [Ongania],  Venezia.     Seventeen  charts 

are  reproduced  in  photograph. 
Stevenson,  E.  L. :     Marine  World  Chart  of  Nicolo  de 

Canerio  Januensis.  New  York,  1908. 
More  than  five  hundred  portolan  charts  and  atlases 
are  referred  to  by  Uzielli  e  Amat  which  are  to  be  found 
in  fifty-four  public  and  private  libraries.  Referring  only 
to  the  larger  collections,  it  may  be  mentioned  that  ninety- 
five  of  these  charts  and  atlases  are  to  be  found  in  Venice, 
the  majority  of  them  belonging  to  the  Biblioteca  Mar- 
ciana,  and  the  Museo  Civico;  sixty-six  are  to  be  found  in 
Florence,  chiefly  in  the  Archivo  di  Stato  and  the  Biblioteca 
Nazionale ;  fifty-two  are  listed  as  belonging  to  the  British 
Museum;  twenty-six  belonging  to  the  Biblioteca  Nazion- 
ale of  Naples;  seventeen  to  the  Bibliotheque  Nationale 
of  Paris;  seventeen  to  the  Archivo  del  Collegio  di  Pro- 
paganda in  Rome;  sixteen  to  the  Biblioteca  Ambrosiana 
of  Milan.  In  the  other  collections  designated  the  number 
varies  from  one  to  fifteen.  Comparatively  few  portolan 
charts  and  atlases  are  to  be  found  in  the  libraries  of  the 
United  States.  The  largest  collection  is  that  belonging 
to  The  Hispanic  Society  of  America,  in  which  there  are 
thirty-two,  the  great  majority  of  which  are  here  described 
for  the  first  time.  In  the  Edward  E.  Ayer  collection 
of  the  Newberry  Library  of  Chicago,  there  are  twenty- 
one;  in  the  Library  of  Congress  three,  and  in  the  John 
Carter  Brown  Library  of  Providence  there  are  two  re- 
markably fine  atlases. 

31 


1.     GIACOMO  GIROLDI  [Probable],  early  15th 

century. 

A  portolan  chart  of  the  early  fifteenth  century,  53  x  92 
cm.  in  size.  Neither  the  author  nor  the  exact  date  can 
be  determined  with  certainty.  It  contains,  however, 
numerous  features  which  suggest  that  it  is  the  work  of 
the  above-named  author  and  its  date  cannot  be  far  from 
1425.  [Fischer,  Sammlung  Mittelalterlicher  Welt-  und 
Seekarten,  pp.  153-154.]  One  other  portolan  chart  by 
Giacomo  is  known,  dated  1422,  which  may  be  found  in  the 
National  Library  of  Paris,  and  three  of  his  atlases  bearing 
dates,  respectively,  1426  [reproduced  in  photograph  by  On- 
gania],  1443,  and  1446.  This  particular  chart  is  here  first 
described.  It  includes  the  Mediterranean,  together  with 
the  Black  Sea,  the  Atlantic  coast  of  Europe  to  Fries- 
land,  the  British  Islands,  and  the  coast  of  Africa  from 
Gibraltar  to  Cape  Cantin.  The  chart  is  crossed  by  the 
usual  lines,  having  two  complete  systems  of  crossing 
points,  with  sixteen  points  in  each  group.  The  centre 
of  the  group  on  the  right  is  in  the  iEgean  Sea,  that  on 
the  left  near  San  Sebastian  in  Spain.  On  both  the  upper 
and  the  lower  border  a  scale  of  miles  is  given.  The  faint 
indication  of  a  scale  on  the  right,  where  the  tongue  ex- 
tension appears,  should  not  be  considered  as  representing 
degrees  of  latitude. 

32 


Color  has  been  sparingly  used,  and  compass  roses,  as 
well  as  miniature  representation  of  cities,  are  wanting. 
The  place  names  seem  to  be  identical  with  those  given 
in  Nordenskiold's  Periplus,  pp.  25-44,  which  names  have 
been  taken  from  Giacomo  Giroldi's  atlas  of  1426.  A 
striking  agreement  between  this  chart  and  the  atlas  of 
1426  may  be  seen  in  the  physical  features  of  the  interior 
regions  which  are  represented. 

In  central  and  eastern  Europe  the  Danube,  the 
Dneister,  Dnieper,  the  Rhine,  the  Rhone,  appear,  each  of 
which  is  represented  as  having  its  source  in  a  lake,  also 
the  Seine,  the  Scheldt,  the  Maas  in  northern  France, 
the  Guadalquivir  in  Spain,  and  the  Nile  in  Africa. 

With  the  exception  of  a  few  water  stains,  the  chart 
is  well  preserved.  * 

2.     PETRUS  ROSELLI,  1468. 

A  portolan  chart  of  the  year  1468.  In  size  it  is 
58  x  90  cm.  It  is  a  chart  of  the  Catalan  type,  and 
exceedingly  important  on  account  of  its  age,  and  of  its 
geographical  and  other  details.  On  the  upper  left  of  the 
parchment  appears  the  inscription,  "  Petrus  Roselli  com- 
posuit  hanc  cartam  in  civitate  Maioricarum  anno  domini 
M  cccc  lx  iij." 

Roselli  belonged  to  a  famous  school  of  Majorcan  carto- 
graphers. In  addition  to  this  chart,  hitherto  apparently 
unknown,  four  other  charts  of  his  may  be  mentioned,  one 
bearing  date  1447,  one  apparently  dated  1462,  one  dated 
1446,  and  one  of  the  year  1465.  The  chart  has  numerous 
radiating  lines,  and  two  small  compass  roses.  A  very  un- 
usual and  interesting  feature  for  a  chart  of  this  character 
is  the  representation  of  the  winds  by  four  wind-heads. 

It  includes  the  Mediterranean,  and  the  Black  Sea, 

33 


the  whole  of  Europe  except  Russia  and  the  Scandina- 
vian region,  the  north  coast  of  Africa,  the  Canary,  the 
Madeira,  and  the  Azores  Islands.  In  the  Atlantic  there 
are  numerous  fabulous  islands  including  "  brazil,"  "  ilia 
de  moni  "  [Man],  "  antilia,"  "  tamar."  These  islands 
are  located  as  in  Bianco's  chart  of  1436,  Pareto's  chart 
of  1455,  and  in  Benincasas'  chart  of  1482. 

The  details  which  are  inscribed  in  the  interior  regions 
are  very  numerous.  Across  the  north  of  Africa  stretches 
the  Atlas  range  of  mountains;  the  Alps  are  represented 
in  Europe;  the  Carpathian  in  Austro-Hungary ;  the 
Sierra  Nevada  in  Spain,  and  Mt.  Sinai  in  northwestern 
Arabia.  The  larger  cities  are  distinguished  by  groups 
of  turrets  and  banners,  eleven  of  which  are  in  Africa; 
six  are  in  Europe  on  a  river  evidently  intended  for  the 
Danube;  Venice  and  Genoa  are  given  their  usual  prom- 
inence, and  a  conspicuous  line  of  cities  is  represented 
in  the  Baltic  region.  The  tents  in  the  interior  of  Africa 
give  a  rather  undue  prominence  to  the  rulers  of  that 
section.  On  the  north  coast  of  Africa  are  numerous 
Mohammedan  banners;  on  the  west  coast  are  those  of 
Portugal;  the  Papal  banner  flies  over  Avignon;  those 
of  Castile  and  Aragon  give  prominence  to  Spain.  Such 
decorations  as  these  are  particularly  numerous  on  other 
parts  of  the  chart.  An  interesting  survival  from  early 
Christian  centuries  is  the  idea  of  giving  to  the  Red  Sea 
a  color  appropriate  to  its  name,  and  this  idea,  together 
with  the  representation  at  its  northern  extremity  of  the 
crossing  place  of  the  Israelites,  finds  expression  on  most 
of  the  portolan  charts  which  include  that  region. 

Roselli  drew  much  of  his  information  from  charts  of 

the  previous  century.     It  is  especially  interesting  to  find 

that  there  are  numerous  features  resembling  the  Catalan 

34 


chart  of  1375.  Though  the  map  is  somewhat  stained 
and  torn,  its  colors  are  well  preserved,  and  its  geo- 
graphical nomenclature,  with  few  exceptions,  can  be 
easily  read. 

3.     NICOLAUS  de  NICOLO,  1470. 

A  well-drawn  parchment  chart  of  the  year  1470,  in 
size  65  x  101  cm.  In  the  tongue  of  the  sheet,  which 
in  this  instance  is  on  the  right,  appears  the  author  legend, 
"  Nicolaus  de  Nicolo  M.  cccclxx."  Nothing  appears  to 
be  known  concerning  this  chart-maker,  who  probably 
was  a  native  of  Venice,  other  than  is  contained  in  this 
one  example  of  his  work.  In  1882,  according  to 
Nordenskiold,  it  belonged  to  Count  Pietro  Gradenigo. 

It  includes  the  east  coast  of  Italy  and  Sicily,  the 
Adriatic,  the  iEgean,  the  Dardanelles,  the  Sea  of  Mar- 
mora, the  Bosphorus,  and  the  southwest  coast  of  the 
Black  Sea,  with  the  west  coast  of  Asia  Minor.  It  is 
drawn  in  large  scale,  has  neither  compass  roses  nor  scale 
of  miles,  though  the  usual  sixteen  crossing  points  with 
the  connecting  lines  appear.  The  islands  of  the  Adriatic 
are  made  especially  prominent,  and  the  lagoons  of  Venice 
have  been  inscribed  with  great  care.  None  of  the  cities 
have  been  distinguished  by  picture,  nor  do  regional  names 
appear. 

The  chart  is  well  preserved,  though  slightly  torn  on 
the  edges,  and  is  an  excellent  specimen  of  early  Italian 
parchment. 

4.    ANONYMOUS  CHART,  late  15th  century. 

A  portolan  chart  of  the  fifteenth  century,  57  x  91 
cm.  in  size. 

35 


Though  its  author,  probably  of  the  city  of  Venice,  is 
unknown,  there  is  the  suggestion  in  some  of  its  details 
that  it  may  be  the  work  of  Petrus  Roselli,  as  in  the  re- 
presentation of  the  Jordan  and  other  features  of  that 
eastern  region.  Compass  lines  are  numerous,  but  com- 
pass roses  are  wanting.  On  the  upper  and  on  the  lower 
border  a  scale  of  miles  is  represented.  The  chart  in- 
cludes the  Black  Sea,  a  part  of  the  Red  Sea,  and  the 
Mediterranean  as  far  west  as  the  Balearic  Islands,  which 
region  lies  in  the  tongue  extension  on  the  left.  The 
coasts  are  colored,  as  are  also  the  islands;  Rhodes  has 
the  cross  of  the  Knights  of  St.  John.  Flags  and  ban- 
ners are  numerous.  Some  of  the  important  cities,  as 
Venice,  Rome,  Belgrade  on  the  Danube,  Damascus,  Jeru- 
salem, and  Cairo  are  represented  by  interesting  colored 
pictures. 

Mt.  Sinai  is  inscribed  as  an  important  locality  on 
which  is  placed  the  Monastery  of  St.  Catharine.  The 
Danube  is  laid  down  as  a  river  flowing  directly  east- 
ward, having  several  large  islands  at  its  mouth.  The 
Jordan,  having  its  source  in  a  mountain,  topped  with  a 
castle  and  a  banner,  flows  through  two  lakes. 

The  names  are  well  written,  as  is  usual  in  red  and 
black,  being  in  Italian  and  occasionally  in  the  Venetian 
dialect.  It  is  well  preserved,  except  in  parts  of  its 
margins. 

5.     VESCONTE  de  MAIOLO,  1512. 

A  portolan  chart  of  the  year  1512,  having  the  very 
common  tongue  extension.  It  is  55  x  90  cm.  in  size. 
In  the  upper  corner  on  the  left  is  a  characteristic  inscrip- 
tion,  "  Vesconte   de  Maiolo   composuy  hanc  cartam  in 

36 


Neapoli  de  anno  doi  1512  die  11  jany,"  near  which 
author  legend  is  a  well-executed  miniature  of  the  Virgin 
and  Child. 

Vesconte  de  Maiolo  belonged  to  a  distinguished  Ital- 
ian family  of  chart-makers  whose  work  has  been  pre- 
served in  numerous  examples.  Fourteen  single  charts 
and  atlases  are  known  to  have  been  made  by  Vesconte 
from  1504  to  1549.  His  world  chart  of  1527,  original 
in  the  Ambrosiana,  Milan,  has  been  issued  by  this  Society 
in  colors  of  the  original,  and  was  included  as  No.  10  in 
a  facsimile  atlas  of  charts  illustrating  early  discovery  and 
exploration  in  America,  issued  by  the  author  of  this  paper. 

This  chart  of  1512,  according  to  Nordenskiold,  be- 
longed in  1882  to  Count  Pietro  Gradenigo  of  Venice. 

It  includes  the  entire  Mediterranean,  the  Black  Sea, 
the  Atlantic  coast  of  Spain  from  Gibraltar  to  Cape 
Finisterre,  the  coasts  of  Africa  as  far  south  as  Cape 
Bojador,  with  the  Madeira  and  Canary  Islands. 

Compass  roses  are  small  and  are  not  numerous.  On 
the  upper  and  on  the  lower  border,  a  scale  of  miles  is 
drawn.  Continental  coast  lines  are  colored,  as  are  most 
of  the  islands,  Rhodes  being  marked  with  the  cross  of  the 
Knights  of  St.  John. 

The  several  countries  are  designated  by  appropriate 

flags.      Cities,  distinguished  by  pictures,  are  numerous, 

among  which  Barcelona,  Valencia,  and  Lisbon  appear 

in    Spain;   Avignon    has    the    papal    coat-of-arms,    and 

Genoa  south  of  the  Alps,  is  made  especially  prominent, 

being  the  native  place  of  Maiolo.     Six  cities  are  located 

on  the  Danube  River,  which  is  represented  as  rising  in 

a  mountain   in   Central   Europe,   five   are   in   northern 

Africa,    and    in    Palestine    Jerusalem    is    appropriately 

represented  with  an  elaborate  church  edifice  topped  with 

37 


a  Christian  banner.  Additional  interior  physical  fea- 
tures are  the  Atlas  Mountains  stretching  across  the  north 
of  Africa  with  striking  colors  of  green  and  red,  and  the 
Sierra  Nevada  in  Spain.  The  Nile,  the  Rhone,  and  the 
Danube  rivers  are  all  distinctly  drawn,  though  not 
accurately. 

The  names  are  in  red  and  black  and  are  in  the  Italian 
language. 

The  chart  is  well  preserved,  being  injured  only  in 
certain  parts  of  the  border. 

6.     CONDE  HOCTOMANNO  FREDUCCI,  1524. 

A  portolan  chart  of  the  year  1524,  being  39  x  60  cm.  in 
size.  It  is  attached  to  a  wooden  roller,  and  has  marks 
of  nails  in  the  margin  which  suggest  that  it  may  at  one 
time  have  been  fastened  to  the  walls  of  a  ship's  cabin. 

On  the  extreme  left  is  the  author  legend,  "  m.  vgo. 
Conde  Hoctomanno  Freducci  de  Ancona  la  fatta  nel 
1524." 

According  to  Uzielli  e  Amat,  it  once  belonged  to  the 
Marquis  Girolamo  di  Colloredo  in  Udine.  It  contains 
the  usual  sixteen  crossing  points  with  the  radiating  lines, 
but  is  without  compass  roses. 

In  the  extension  of  the  sheet  to  the  left  is  given  the 
scale  of  miles.  It  has  neither  degrees  of  latitude  nor 
longitude  indicated. 

The  chart  contains  the  Black  Sea,  the  northern  part 
of  the  Red  Sea,  with  the  usual  representations,  and  the 
Mediterranean  as  far  west  as  the  Balearic  Islands.  Con- 
tinental coasts  are  colored,  as  are  most  of  the  islands. 

The  cross  of  the  Knights  of  St.  John  covers  the 
island   of   Rhodes.     Coast   names    are   remarkably   well 

38 


written,  and  exquisite  miniatures  of  Venice,  Damascus, 
Jerusalem,  Mt.  Sinai  with  the  Convent  of  St.  Catharine 
having  a  subscribed  legend,  and  Cairo  adorn  the  chart. 
A  few  rivers  are  represented  emptying  into  the  Black 
Sea;  the  Nile  delta  has  been  made  prominent,  and  in 
Palestine  the  Jordan  River  and  lakes  are  inscribed,  to 
the  east  of  which  is  a  range  of  mountains,  each  peak 
having  a  name. 

Aside  from  a  few  water  stains,  and  slightly  torn 
margins,  the  chart  is  in  excellent  condition. 

7.     CONTE  de  OTHOMANO  FREDUCCI,  1537. 

An  atlas  of  five  portolan  charts  drawn  on  parchment, 
and  mounted  on  pasteboard.  Each  chart  is  35  x  45  cm. 
in  size. 

It  has  an  excellent  pigskin  binding  with  a  title  in 
gold  stamped  on  the  front  of  the  cover,  "  Portolano  m.  s. 
16th  century." 

The  author  was  a  distinguished  Italian,  and  appears 
to  have  been  a  very  productive  chart-maker,  as  no  less 
than  eight  of  his  atlases  are  known,  and  at  least  five  of 
his  single-sheet  charts. 

On  the  left  of  chart  four  is  the  legend,  "  Yhs  ma  vgo. 
Conte  de  Otho  mafio.  Freducci,  de  Ancona,  la  fatte  nel 
ano  M.  cccccxxx7."  This  atlas,  according  to  Nordens- 
kiold,  first  became  known  in  1882,  at  which  time  it  was 
the  property  of  Luigi  Arrigoni  of  Milan. 

The  sixteen  crossing  points  arranged  in  a  circle  about 
a  central  crossing,  together  with  the  lines  which  radiate 
from  each  point  and  connect  it  with  every  other  point 
save  the  two  on  its  immediate  right  and  left,  give  to 
each  chart  a  very  attractive  appearance.     Each  of  the 

39 


five  charts  has  what  appears  to  be  a  scale  of  miles  marked 
across  each  of  its  four  corners,  and  one  compass  rose 
has  been  drawn  on  chart  three.  The  borders  of  the  con- 
tinents are  colored,  and  are  represented  as  a  series  of 
large  and  small  curves;  islands  are  red,  green,  blue,  or 
gold;  the  nomenclature  is  in  Italian,  and  written  in  red 
or  black.  Turreted  buildings  which  represent  cities  are 
exceedingly  numerous,  but  are  small,  and  are  sketched 
very  artistically. 

1.  Chart  one  represents  a  section  of  the  coast  of 
Spain,  with  the  coast  of  Africa  from  Gibraltar  to  a 
point  near  the  mouth  of  the  Senegal,  and  the  Madeira, 
Canary,  and  Azores  Islands.  Near  the  parallel  of  the 
Canary  Islands,  and  somewhat  inland,  is  a  legend  of 
some  length.  The  Azores,  the  Madeira,  and  the  Canary 
Islands  are  practically  located  on  the  same  meridian. 
The  island  of  Lancillotto,  which  is  at  the  centre  of  the 
circle  of  radiating  points,  has  the  Genoese  cross  con- 
spicuously marked. 

2.  Chart  two  represents  the  Atlantic  coast  of  Europe 
from  Gibraltar  to  Holland,  including  also  in  the  north 
England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland,  with  numerous  small 
islands,  among  them  "  Yxola  de  till,"  "  Montorius,"  and 
"  isola  de  man,"  and  to  the  west  of  Spain  the  Azores 
Islands.  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland  are  dis- 
tinguished by  regional  names  artistically  drawn.  Across 
Ireland  is  written  a  legend  as  if  to  explain  the  signifi- 
cance of  a  great  bay  on  the  west,  which  is  thickly  studded 
with  small  islands:  "  Lacus  fortunatus  ubi  sunt  insule  que 
dicunt  incule  sec  beate  n  ccclxxij." 

3.  Chart  three  represents  the  western  Mediterranean 

with  the  island  of  Majorca  placed  at  the  centre,  and 

otherwise  made  conspicuous  by  its  color.     Coast  names 

40 


^Ql 


are  exceedingly  numerous,  with  an  unusual  number  of 
names  in  the  Balearic  group  of  islands.  The  one  com- 
pass rose  of  the  atlas  is  to  be  found  on  this  chart  in 
northern  Africa. 

4.  Chart  four  includes  the  Mediterranean  from  a 
meridian  slightly  to  the  east  of  Sardinia  to  the  extreme 
western  coast  of  Asia  Minor.  The  region  represented 
is  very  striking  by  reason  of  its  details,  a  fact  especially 
to  be  noted  of  the  iEgean  Sea.  Along  the  border  on 
the  right  appears  the  author  legend  quoted  above. 

5.  Chart  five  includes  the  eastern  Mediterranean 
and  the  Black  Sea,  with  the  bordering  regions.  Rhodes 
is  conspicuously  marked  with  the  cross  of  the  Knights 
of  St.  John,  and  Cairo,  though  not  designated  by  name, 
is  represented  by  a  large  group  of  buildings  stretching 
along  the  Nile. 

The  atlas  is  remarkably  well  preserved. 

8.     ANONYMOUS,  first  half  of  16th  century. 

A  chart  of  the  first  half  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
47  x  74  cm.  in  size.  Though  its  authorship  cannot  be 
determined,  it  may  be  referred  to  as  an  excellent  example 
of  Catalan  or  Spanish  draftsmanship,  having  its  nomen- 
clature in  the  language  of  eastern  Spain. 

While  clearly  belonging  to  the  sixteenth  century,  it 
is  based  very  largely  on  fifteenth-century  originals. 

Compass  roses  are  few  and  are  very  simple  in 
design. 

In  addition  to  the  crossing  lines  running  diagonally 
over  the  sheet,  there  are  lines  which  cross  at  right  angles, 
apparently  drawn  to  represent  latitude  and  longitude,  at 
intervals  of  eight  or  ten  degrees.     These  lines,  however, 

41 


are  not  designated  as  graduation  lines.  Four  scales  of 
miles  are  indicated  without  special  ornamentation. 

The  chart  includes  the  entire  Mediterranean,  the 
Black  Sea,  and  a  part  of  the  Red  Sea,  which  is  colored 
red,  having  at  its  northern  extremity  the  crossing  place 
of  the  Israelites  indicated,  the  Atlantic  coast  of  the 
Iberian  peninsula  southward  from  Cape  Finisterre,  and 
a  very  limited  section  of  the  coast  of  Africa.  Regional 
names  are  omitted,  but  in  each  of  the  continents  the 
largest  cities  are  especially  distinguished  in  picture,  as 
Genoa,  and  Cairo  which  is  called  Babelonia.  The  colored 
flags  and  banners  inscribed  are  especially  numerous,  in- 
cluding the  papal  banner  over  Avignon,  though  not  over 
Rome,  the  Spanish  banner  over  Spain,  Mohammedan  ban- 
ners in  Africa  and  the  East,  the  cross  of  the  Knights 
of  St.  John  over  Rhodes,  but  not  over  Malta.  Christian 
powers  are  represented  as  holding  sway  over  a  part  of 
the  Balkan  peninsula,  Asia  Minor,  and  the  coast  of  the 
Black  Sea. 

The  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  in  Spain  are  especially 
conspicuous,  being  the  only  interior  physical  features 
represented. 

9.     ANONYMOUS,  early  16th  century. 

A  parchment  sheet  of  the  early  sixteenth  century, 
48  x  82  cm.  in  size.  Though  its  author  is  unknown,  it 
clearly  is  of  Italian  origin,  the  nomenclature  being  in 
the  language  of  the  peninsula. 

On  the  left  is  the  tongue  extension,  apparently  used  for 
hanging  the  chart,  on  which  extension  is  a  miniature 
picture  of  Christ  on  the  cross.  Graduation  is  not  indi- 
cated, but  on  the  upper  and  on  the  lower  borders  a  scale 

42 


of  miles  is  drawn,  each  in  an  elaborately  ornamented 
cartouche. 

The  chart  includes  the  entire  Mediterranean,  the 
Black  Sea,  and  the  Atlantic  coast,  beginning  at  Cape 
Finisterre,  and  terminating  at  a  point  near  eight  degrees 
down  the  coast  of  Africa.  The  coast  lines,  drawn  with 
a  pen,  are  colored,  as  are  the  rivers.  As  is  usual  in  such 
charts,  most  of  the  names  are  in  black,  but  many  are 
in  red. 

Fifteen  compass  roses  of  different  sizes  and  designs 
are  drawn,  and  are  connected  by  the  crossing  lines. 
The  three  continents  are  each  designated  by  name,  which 
name  is  written  in  a  scroll.  Pictures  of  cities,  flags  and 
banners  are  wanting,  Jerusalem  or  Palestine  being  dis- 
tinguished by  the  representation  of  a  mountain  (Gol- 
gotha) with  three  crosses.  Over  the  islands  of  Rhodes 
and  Malta  the  cross  of  the  order  of  St.  John  is  repre- 
sented. The  chart  is  well  preserved,  being  torn  but 
slightly  on  the  border,  through  which  nails  have  been 
driven,  perhaps  for  attaching  it  to  the  walls  of  a  pilot's 
cabin. 

10.     ANONYMOUS,  early  16th  century. 

A  portolan  atlas  bound  in  pasteboard  cover,  contain- 
ing three  charts  of  the  early  sixteenth  century.  Each 
chart  is  37  x  57  cm.  in  size. 

Neither  the  author  nor  the  date  is  known.  Judging 
in  particular  from  the  character  of  the  ornamentation, 
it  seems  to  be  a  French  work  [vid.  No.  22].  The 
nomenclature  is  French,  Spanish,  and  Italian.  The 
writing  is  in  rather  an  unusual  running  style.  Very 
much  of  available  space  is  covered  with  elaborate  scroll 

43 


and  feather  designs  in  brilliant  colors.  Compass  roses 
are  numerous,  but  are  not  elaborate.  Degrees  of 
latitude  are  indicated  on  chart  one,  not  on  a  meridian, 
but  in  three  sections,  with  that  section  on  the  extreme 
left  indicating  degrees  from  the  twenty-second  parallel 
to  the  thirty-first,  the  next  section  near  the  coast  of 
Spain  from  the  thirty-first  to  the  forty-fourth  parallel, 
and  the  third  section  some  distance  to  the  west  of  the 
coast  of  Ireland  from  parallel  forty-four  to  fifty-eight. 

1.  Chart  one  includes  the  Atlantic  coast  regions 
from  Holland — "  Olanda  " — to  a  point  near  Cape  Verde, 
with  the  British  Islands,  the  Azores,  the  Madeira,  and 
the  Canary  Islands,  and  the  Mediterranean  to  the  Gulf 
of  Genoa. 

The  regional  names  include  "  Europa,"  "  Olanda," 
"Irland,"  "  Iscotia,"  "  Inglaterr,"  "France,"  "  Spag- 
nia,"  "  Africa,"  "  Barbaria."  In  the  Atlantic  to  the 
west  of  Spain  is  the  legend,  "  L'ocean  occidental,"  and 
near  it  an  elaborate  ornament  containing  a  shield  with 
the  French  lily  topped  with  a  royal  crown.  In  Spain 
is  the  Spanish  shield  with  the  imperial  double  eagle. 
Much  attention  was  given  to  the  ornamentation  of  the 
sheet. 

2.  Chart  two  includes  the  iEgean  with  the  border- 
ing coasts.  The  names  "  Natolia,"  "  Candia,"  "  Morea," 
"  Grecia,"  "  Romania "  are  inscribed.  The  sheet  is 
somewhat  injured  by  water  stain. 

3.  Chart  three  includes  the  entire  Mediterranean, 
and,  like  the  preceding,  is  over-decorated.  "  Europa," 
"  Asia,"  "  Africa,"  "  Barbaria  "  are  inscribed.  The  chart 
is  much  faded. 

The  atlas  is  not  one  of  great  value;  though  contain- 
ing practically  all  that  may  be  found  in  the  better  Italian 

44 


portolan  charts  of  the  period,  it  was  apparently  designed 
for  display  rather  than  for  use. 

11.     BAPTISTA  AGNESE,  early  16th  century. 

A  portolan  atlas  of  the  first  half  of  the  sixteenth 
century,  containing  fourteen  charts  preceded  by  repre- 
sentations of  coats-of-arms  and  astronomical  tables.  Each 
page  is  28  x  41  cm.  in  size. 

The  atlas  is  neither  signed  nor  dated,  but  the  work- 
manship is  so  strikingly  characteristic  of  Baptista  Agnese 
that  one  can  hardly  be  in  error  in  ascribing  it  to  him. 
Its  date  cannot  be  far  from  1545.  Agnese  was  a  prolific 
chart-maker,  many  of  whose  atlases  are  extant.  He  ex- 
hibited remarkable  skill  as  a  draftsman  and  miniaturist, 
and  held  a  foremost  place  among  the  Italian  chart-makers 
of  his  time.  His  work,  however,  appears  to  have  been 
done  rather  for  the  libraries  of  princes  than  for  the  use 
of  mariners. 

The  atlas  is  one  of  his  largest,  containing  not 
only  those  charts  which  usually  are  to  be  found  in 
his  atlases,  but  certain  important  additions  as  Nos.  thir- 
teen and  fourteen. 

The  several  charts  have  retained  their  brilliant  colors, 
with  blue  coast  outlines,  and  with  the  numerous  small 
islands  in  red,  blue,  or  gold.  Interior  regions  on  some 
of  the  charts  contain  numerous  vignettes  and  figures, 
with  far  more  than  the  usual  references  to  geographical 
features,  though  having  withal  numerous  and  curious 
inaccuracies. 

Page  two  of  the  atlas  contains  two  coats-of-arms 
similar  in  general  design,  with  a  third  on  page  three  of 
like  character.      Declination  tables   are  given  on  page 

45 


four,  an  armillary  sphere  is  artistically  sketched  on  page 
five,  and  on  pages  six  and  seven  the  circle  of  the  zodiac 
with  the  several  signs  very  artistically  designed. 

1.  Chart  one,  occupying  double  pages,  as  do  all  the 
charts,  being  in  size  within  the  narrow  black  border  line 
35  x  50  cm.,  includes  the  Pacific  Ocean,  with  America  on 
the  right,  and  on  the  left  a  small  section  of  the  coast  of 
Asia,  with  the  "  insule  Maluche."  The  Atlantic  coast 
of  America  is  represented  from  Labrador  to  the  Strait 
of  Magellan,  with  an  omission  on  the  extreme  east  of 
Brazil.  The  Pacific  coast  includes  Lower  California  and 
the  Gulf  of  California  which  is  colored  red,  thence  it 
extends  southward  to  about  latitude  12°,  omitting  the 
remaining  section  of  the  coast  to  the  Strait  of  Magellan. 
Degrees  of  latitude  and  longitude  are  indicated,  as  are 
also  the  tropics  and  the  equator.  In  the  centre  of  the 
chart  is  a  combined  compass  and  wind  rose  encircled 
with  the  sixteen  crossing  points  from  which  the  usual 
thirty-two  lines  radiate. 

2.  Chart  two  includes  the  Atlantic  Ocean  with 
Africa,  a  part  of  Asia  and  of  Europe  on  the  right,  and 
on  the  left  the  east  coast  of  North  America,  the  east 
and  west  coast  of  South  America,  omitting  the  Pacific 
coast  from  latitude  12°  to  the  Strait  of  Magellan.  The 
nomenclature  is  very  rich,  both  for  the  Old  and  for 
the  New  World,  and  is  remarkably  well  preserved.  The 
chart  contains  the  crossing  lines,  degrees  of  latitude  and 
longitude  as  in  chart  one. 

3.  Chart  three  includes  the  Indian  Ocean,  with  the 
African  coast  from  the  Gulf  of  Guinea  eastward,  and 
the  southern  Asiatic  coast  to  China.  The  general  fea- 
tures of  the  chart  are  the  same  as  are  represented  in  the 
preceding. 

46 


4.  Chart  four  includes  the  greater  part  of  the  con- 
tinent of  Europe  with  Scandinavia  on  the  northern 
border,  the  Baltic,  the  British  Islands,  the  coast  of 
France,  the  north  coast  of  Spain,  northern  Italy,  and 
the  Dalmatian  coast.  There  are  numerous  fine  minia- 
ture representations  of  kings  on  their  thrones.  Numerous 
rivers  are  represented  in  heavy  blue  lines,  though  with 
little  care  for  accuracy,  and  the  mountains  of  southern 
Europe  from  the  Pyrenees  to  the  Balkan  peninsula  are 
inscribed.  Numerous  regional  names  appear.  The  fea- 
tures of  chart  one  are  included,  omitting  indications  of 
latitude  and  longitude. 

5.  Chart  five  includes  the  Spanish  peninsula,  with 
northwest  Africa,  the  Balearic,  the  Madeira,  and  the 
Canary  Islands.  Numerous  cities  in  picture,  and  rivers 
in  heavy  blue  lines  are  represented  in  Spain.  The  Atlas 
range  of  mountains  is  represented  in  northern  Africa. 
The  chart  has  the  usual  crossing  lines,  but  no  indication 
of  degrees  of  latitude  or  longitude. 

6.  Chart  six  represents  the  Mediterranean  region 
from  the  west  coast  of  Greece  to  Gibraltar.  It  contains 
the  usual  portolan  chart  features.  It  is  slightly  water- 
stained,  but  all  names  can  be  read  with  ease. 

7.  Chart  seven  represents  the  eastern  Mediterranean 
from  Sicily  to  Palestine,  with  the  south  coast  of  the  Black 
Sea  and  the  northern  section  of  the  Red  Sea,  which  is 
colored  red.  The  island  of  Rhodes  still  retains  the  cross 
of  the  Knights  of  St.  John. 

8.  Chart  eight  represents  the  Black  Sea  with  the 
coast  line  in  blue,  except  that  of  the  Crimea,  which 
is  colored  green.  The  chart  is  remarkably  clean  and 
attractive. 

9.  Chart   nine   represents   Italy   with   the   Adriatic 

47 


coast  of  Dalmatia.  This  chart  differs  greatly  from  the 
preceding,  the  author  attempting  to  produce  not  only 
a  sea  chart  but  a  land  map  as  well.  The  entire  surface 
is  covered  with  a  pale-yellow  color  shading  to  light  green. 
Mountain  ranges  are  especially  conspicuous.  The  Po 
River  with  its  numerous  branches  fills  the  low  plain  of 
northern  Italy.  The  Tiber  and  the  Arno  rivers  have 
a  source  in  the  same  lake.  Sicily,  Sardinia,  and  Corsica 
are  very  prominent. 

10.  Chart  ten  represents  the  iEgean  Sea  as  it  ap- 
pears in  most  portolan  atlases.  The  island  of  Rhodes 
is  conspicuous  with  the  red  ground  and  the  gold  cross. 
Other  large  islands  have  the  entire  surface  either  green, 
red,  or  gold.  Crete  has  a  city  with  harbor  prominently 
marked  on  the  north  coast. 

11.  Chart  eleven  is  a  world  chart  including  prac- 
tically the  same  as  may  be  found  in  Nos.  one,  two,  and 
three.  The  whole  of  the  north  of  Europe  is,  however, 
represented  with  the  Scandinavian  peninsula  stretching 
off  to  northward.  There  are  five  compass  or  wind 
roses,  and  the  usual  arrangement  of  crossing  lines.  The 
tropics  and  the  equator  are  represented,  but  graduation 
is  wanting. 

12.  Chart  twelve  is  a  characteristic  Agnese  world 
chart,  oblong  in  shape,  having  the  equatorial  diameter 
nearly  twice  that  of  the  polar.  Fifteen  parallels  are 
represented  and  twenty-four  curved  meridians.  It  is 
more  or  less  a  conventional  world  chart,  since  the  author 
clearly  made  little  effort  to  be  strictly  accurate.  Nu- 
merous regional  names  are  inscribed,  and  a  few  interior 
geographical  features  appear,  as  mountains  in  Asia, 
"  Mons  luna  "  in  Africa,  the  Pyrenees  in  Spain,  and  the 
Andes    in    northern    South    America.     There    are    also 

48 


numerous  rivers,  as  the  Nile,  the  Indus,  the  Ganges,  the 
Volga,  the  Danube,  and,  in  the  New  World,  the  Amazon 
and  the  La  Plata.  Magellan's  route  is  indicated,  as  is 
also  the  route  from  Spain  to  Peru,  crossing  the  New 
World  at  Panama.  Twelve  artistic  wind  heads  are 
arranged  about  the  chart,  each  wind  having  its  appropri- 
ate name.  Compass  roses  as  well  as  crossing  lines  are 
wanting. 

13.  Chart  thirteen  represents  Palestine.  Like  Nos. 
nine  and  fourteen,  it  is  both  a  marine  and  a  land  chart. 
It  has  a  ground  color  of  very  light  yellow  shading  to 
green,  though  the  color  has  not  been  evenly  applied. 
Mountain  ranges  and  isolated  mountain  peaks  are  very 
numerous,  and  are  made  especially  conspicuous.  The 
several  towns  and  villages  are  each  represented  by  an 
artistic  vignette,  and  Jerusalem  appears  as  a  group  of 
buildings  surrounded  with  a  wall.  The  Jordan  River 
and  the  lakes  are  colored  blue,  and  are  much  magnified 
in  size.  As  drawn,  it  places  the  east  at  the  top  of  the 
sheet,  though  a  compass  rose  is  inscribed,  which  indicates 
the  north. 

14.  Chart  fourteen  includes  the  Scandinavian  pen- 
insula with  the  Atlantic  islands  to  the  northwest  and  the 
west,  and  with  the  Baltic  Sea  and  its  neighboring  re- 
gions to  south  and  east.  The  chart  has  the  same  ground 
color  as  Nos.  nine  and  thirteen.  There  are  numerous 
artistic  representations  of  rulers  on  their  thrones.  Two 
well-drawn  ships  sail  the  Atlantic  waters,  and  a  sea 
monster  appears  off  the  Norway  coast.  Very  small  and 
artistically- drawn  buildings  representing  cities  and  towns 
are  numerous.  One  wind  head  is  represented  at  the 
north,  but  all  crossing  lines  are  omitted.  The  chart  is 
slightly  water-stained  at  the  top. 

49 


12.     BARTOLOMEO  OLIVO,  after  1550. 

This  portolan  chart  of  the  sixteenth  century  is  86  cm. 
in  length  by  51  cm.  in  width. 

Its  author  was  a  member  of  the  famous  Oliva  family 
of  Majorca.  On  this  chart  his  name  is  inscribed  in  the 
upper  left  corner,  "  Olivo  mallorqin  En.  Palermo  Alio 
1520."  The  last  three  figures  are  inscribed  over  an 
erasure,  and  only  the  figure  1  is  the  original.  We  find 
here  one  of  the  numerous  attempts  at  date  forgery. 
Sometimes  for  a  specific  reason,  generally  to  give  a  ficti- 
tious value  to  a  chart,  a  date  is  found  altered  to  one 
earlier,  often  to  one  later.  While  the  argument  is  not 
conclusive,  it  appears  to  have  been  drawn  after  1526,  as 
the  cross  of  the  Order  of  St.  John  appears  on  the  island 
of  Malta,  and  perhaps  near  1581,  as  the  Spanish  flag 
alone  appears  on  the  Iberian  peninsula,  whereas  on 
Domingo  Olives'  chart  of  1568  Lisbon  is  likewise  so 
distinguished,  by  a  Portuguese  banner. 

Compass  roses  are  numerous,  and  elaborate,  and  it 
is  interesting  to  observe  that  the  central  crossing  is  in 
Sicily.  On  the  western  border  is  a  representation  of 
Christ  on  the  cross.  The  scale  of  miles  is  indicated 
twice  at  the  top,  and  twice  at  the  bottom  of  the  chart. 
Here  we  also  have  it  distinctly  indicated  that  the  same 
scale  was  not  used  for  the  Atlantic  coast  that  was  used 
for  that  of  the  Mediterranean.  Degrees  of  latitude  are 
marked  on  a  meridian  passing  about  five  degrees  west 
of  the  coast  of  Spain. 

The  chart  includes  the  Mediterranean,  the  Red  and 
the  Black  Seas,  the  Atlantic  coast  region  as  far  north 
as  Holland,  with  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland,  and 
the  African  coast  to  Cape  Bojador.     The  author  has  not 

50 


^  r.  '-'  ;3.  ':<n.rJ;>  ;> 


16.  JAUME   OLIVES,    1563.         CHART   THREE 


given  a  colored  border  to  his  continental  coasts,  but  has 
added  color  liberally  to  his  islands.  The  three  continents 
are  distinguished  by  names ;  cities  especially  distinguished 
by  picture  are  numerous  both  along  the  coasts  and  in- 
land; numerous  river  courses  are  shown,  though  not  from 
accurate  information.  An  ocean  monster  appears  to  the 
southwest  of  Ireland,  and  in  Africa,  the  ostrich,  the  lion, 
the  camel,  and  the  elephant  are  well  represented. 

The  chart  is  well  preserved,  being  only  slightly  torn 
on  its  borders. 

18.     HIERONYMO  GIRIVA,  after  1550. 

A  portolan  chart  with  pasteboard  cover  of  the  second 
half  of  the  sixteenth  century.  It  is  33  x  65  cm.  in  size. 
It  is  neither  signed  nor  dated,  but  internal  evidence  sug- 
gests that  it  is  the  work  of  Giriva.  On  the  interior  of 
the  front  cover  has  been  pasted  the  engraved  book-plate 
of  Conde  de  Vislahermosa.  The  chart  includes  the  Medi- 
terranean with  a  very  small  section  of  the  Black  Sea 
coast,  and  the  Atlantic  coast  from  "  lisbona "  to  Cape 
Cantin. 

Compass  roses  are  numerous,  being  inscribed  at  most 
of  the  sixteen  crossing  points.  The  central  rose  is  placed 
in  the  island  of  Sicily.  In  each  of  the  four  corners  a 
scale  of  miles  is  drawn  in  a  waving  scroll  ornament.  In 
the  upper  corner  on  the  left  is  a  representation  of  Christ 
on  the  cross.  Eleven  cities  are  distinguished  by  minia- 
ture pictures,  including  "  lisbona  "  and  "  barselona  "  in 
Spain.  Over  each  appears  an  appropriate  banner. 
Mountains  are  represented  in  northern  Africa,  and  Gol- 
gotha with  the  three  crosses.     A  few  of  the  important 

rivers  are  represented  in  their  lower  courses,  as  the  Nile, 

51 


the  Rhone,  the  Guadalquivir.  The  chart  is  well  pre- 
served, but  the  decorative  work  is  not  that  of  a  first-class 
miniaturist. 

14.     BARTOLOMEO  OLIVES,  1552. 

A  portolan  chart  of  the  year  1552,  in  size  49  x  75  cm. 

On  the  left  is  the  author  legend,  "  Bartolomeo  olives 
maijorq;  1552,"  and  in  the  tongue  extension  a  miniature 
of  the  Virgin  and  Child. 

Bartolomeo  was  one  of  the  most  distinguished  mem- 
bers of  the  Majorcan  family  of  Oliva,  which  family  has 
a  place  of  prominence  among  early  chart-makers.  A 
large  number  of  his  charts  are  recorded  by  Uzielli  e  Amat, 
and  by  Nordenskiold.  Compass  or  wind  roses  are 
numerous  at  the  crossing  points,  five  of  which  are  large 
and  beautifully  executed.  In  each  of  these  the  initial 
letters  for  the  eight  winds  appear,  beginning  at  the  north 
with  the  needle  point  <A>  thence  to  the  right  about  the 
circle  G  =  NE;  >fr  ==  E;  S  =  SE;  O  =  S;  L  — 
SW;  P  =  W;  M  =  NW.  Twice  on  the  upper  and 
twice  on  the  lower  border  the  scale  of  miles  is  inscribed. 

The  chart  includes  the  Mediterranean,  the  Black  Sea,  a 
section  of  the  Red  Sea  with  the  crossing-place  of  the  Israel- 
ites indicated,  and  the  Atlantic  coast  from  Cape  Finisterre 
to  Cape  Nun.  Seven  cities  are  represented  in  picture, 
Venice,  Genoa,  and  Cartagena  being  especially  prominent, 
and  the  banners  are  very  numerous.  Interior  physical 
features  inscribed  include  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains, 
very  conspicuous  in  southern  Spain,  Mount  Sinai  topped 
with  the  Convent  of  St.  Catharine,  also  the  Nile,  the 
Danube,  and  the  Rhine  rivers,  with  the  numerous  others 
distinctly  indicated  in  their  lower  courses. 

52 


The  chart  is  remarkably  well  preserved,  having  only 
its  margin  on  the  right  slightly  torn. 

15.     GIOVANNI  MARTINES,  after  1560. 

A  portolan  atlas  of  seven  charts,  18  x  25  cm.  in  size, 
bound  in  dark  leather.  Each  chart,  however,  occupying 
two  pages,  is  24  x  34  cm.,  including  a  plain  narrow  red 
border.  Across  the  upper  part  of  chart  one  is  the  author 
legend,  "  Joan  Martines  en  Messina  any  1562,"  the  figure 
2  being  written  in  after  an  erasure.  It  is  hardly  prob- 
able the  date  as  it  appears  is  correct,  though  it  doubtless 
is  one  of  his  earlier  atlases,  the  oldest  hitherto  described 
being  dated  1567.  He  was  one  of  the  foremost  chart- 
makers  of  his  day,  there  being  extant  a  considerable 
number  of  single  charts  and  atlases  bearing  his  name. 
On  the  back  of  the  front  cover  are  the  words  in  gold 
"  Carta  Navigatoria,"  and  on  both  front  and  back  the 
outline  design  for  a  coat-of-arms,  with  the  letters  M. 
P.  G.,  the  initial  letters  of  a  former  owner,  "  Michele 
Petrocochino  del  quondam  Georgio."  Fifteen  pages  of 
manuscript  in  Italian  and  written  in  a  bold  hand,  relat- 
ing to  astronomy  and  geography,  have  been  bound  in 
with  the  charts. 

The  several  charts  have  the  usual  characteristics  of 
the  type.  Coast  lines  are  in  gold,  or  in  blue  and  gold. 
A  few  minor  geographical  features  are  represented,  as 
regional  names,  and  the  lower  courses  of  rivers.  Each 
chart,  except  the  first,  has  a  scale  of  miles,  and  at  least 
one  compass  rose. 

1.  Chart  one  represents  the  world  in  two  hemi- 
spheres, each  having  an  equatorial  diameter  of  167  mm. 
and  a  polar  diameter  of  165  mm.     Meridians  and  paral- 

63 


lels  are  drawn  at  intervals  of  fifteen  degrees.  Coast  lines 
are  in  gold,  and  numerous  original  names  appear  in  both 
the  Old  and  the  New  World.  The  Strait  of  Anian 
(Bering)  is  represented,  which  name  appears  in  north- 
east Asia.  The  great  austral  continent  "  terra  incog- 
nita "  is  sketched  in  outline.  It  is  a  chart  to  which  much 
interest  attaches. 

2.  Chart  two  includes  the  southern  coast  of  the 
Spanish  peninsula,  the  west  coast  of  Africa  to  about 
latitude  15°  north,  with  the  Madeira  and  the  Canary 
Islands.  On  this  and  succeeding  charts  three  crossing 
points  and  three  only  are  represented,  from  which  thirty- 
two  lines  radiate.  One  of  these  points  is  located  at  the 
centre,  one  at  the  right  of  this,  and  one  at  the  left,  but 
all  are  on  the  same  parallel  or  line  crossing  the  chart 
from  east  to  west. 

3.  Chart  three  includes  the  northwest  coast  of 
Europe,  with  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland  well 
represented.  The  names  are  numerous  and  well 
written. 

4.  Chart  four  includes  the  south  coast  of  Ireland 
and  England  with  the  coast  of  Holland,  France,  and 
northern  Spain. 

5.  Chart  five  includes  the  Mediterranean  from  the 
eastern  coast  of  Spain  to  the  west  coast  of  Greece,  also 
the  Balearic  Islands,  Corsica,  Sardinia,  and  Sicily, 
with  a  small  section  of  the  extreme  north  coast  of 
Africa.  On  this  chart  the  names  are  particularly 
numerous. 

6.  Chart  six  includes  the  JEgean  and  the  eastern 
Mediterranean. 

7.  Chart   seven  includes  the   Black   Sea   drawn  in 

large  scale. 

54 


16.     JAUME  OLIVES,  1563. 

This  atlas  of  six  charts  dated  1563  is  19  x  23  cm.  in 
size,  though  each  chart,  occupying  double  pages,  measures 
23  x  36  cm. 

It  has  an  excellent  leather  binding,  with  the  entire 
front  and  back  of  the  cover  very  artistically  decorated 
with  contemporary  tooling. 

It  is  a  characteristic  bit  of  work  of  a  very  distinguished 
member  of  the  Majorcan  family  Oliva,  which  family  had 
numerous  representatives  in  the  ranks  of  the  early  chart- 
makers.  On  the  last  double  page  appears  the  inscription, 
"  Jaume  oliues  mallorchi  en  napoli  any  1563." 

All  names  have  been  inscribed  with  great  care,  partly 
in  Italian  and  partly  in  Catalan.  The  usual  portolan 
chart  colors  have  been  employed  all  of  which  are  well 
preserved.  From  a  central  point  on  each  chart  thirty- 
two  lines  radiate  with  one  exception,  all  other  lines  having 
been  omitted.  It  is  interesting  to  find  that  on  the  last 
double  page  a  very  large  compass  rose  has  been  drawn 
filling  almost  the  entire  sheet,  and  on  the  first  double 
page  a  circle  has  been  drawn  with  the  radiating  lines, 
suggesting  that  the  author  had  intended  these  as  construc- 
tion lines  for  a  chart  which  had  never  been  drawn.  Coast 
lines,  in  most  instances  have  been  colored,  to  which  has 
been  added  a  gilt  border.  There  are  numerous  miniature 
representations  of  cities  and  banners  on  each  of  the 
charts.  With  the  exception  of  sheet  five,  a  part  of  which 
has  been  cut  away,  the  atlas  is  remarkably  well  preserved. 

1.     Chart  one  represents  the  eastern  Mediterranean, 

omitting  the  Levantine  coast.     Chios  and  Rhodes  have 

the  Christian  cross  while  all  the  banners  represented  are 

the  Mohammedan.    The  chart  has  the  thirty-two  radiating 

55 


lines  and  instead  of  a  wind  or  compass  rose  it  has  the 
usual  initial  letters  for  the  eight  principal  winds  properly 
placed  near  the  border  of  the  sheet,  which  arrangement  is 
very  unusual. 

2.  Chart  two  includes  the  Atlantic  coast  from  "  c. 
finisterr "  to  "  c.  blancho "  with  the  Canary  and  the 
Madeira  Islands. 

3.  Chart  three  includes  the  western  coast  of  Europe 
from  "  cartagena  "  to  "  dascie  "  on  the  North  Sea  coast, 
with  a  small  section  of  the  northwest  coast  of  Africa,  also 
England,  Scotland  which  is  separated  from  the  former 
by  a  strait,  and  Ireland.  There  is  a  central  compass  rose 
from  which  thirty-two  lines  radiate.  Three  cities  are  es- 
pecially distinguished  in  the  Iberian  peninsula,  each  with 
picture  and  banner. 

4.  Chart  four  represents  the  western  Mediterranean 
from  Sicily  to  the  Strait  of  Gibraltar.  The  Spanish, 
Papal,  and  Mohammedan  banners  are  prominent  features 
of  the  chart,  and  the  city  of  Genoa  is  made  especially 
conspicuous  in  picture. 

5.  Chart  five  represents  the  middle  Mediterranean 
region,  including  the  Adriatic  and  the  iEgean  Seas. 
This  chart  has  been  somewhat  mutilated  on  the  upper 
or  northern  section. 

6.  Chart  six  represents  the  Black  Sea  and  the  ex- 
treme eastern  Mediterranean  coast.  In  the  centre  is  a 
compass  rose  from  which  thirty  lines  only  radiate. 
"Banners  are  numerous,  most  of  which  are  Mohammedan. 

17.     JAUME  OLIVES,  1566. 

A  portolan  chart  of  the  year  1566,  rectangular  in 
shape,  and  in  size  46  x  69  cm.     On  the  upper  left  ap- 

56 


pears  the  Madonna  and  Child  resting  in  the  clouds,  near 
this  picture  a  lion,  which  is  represented  as  tearing  an 
animal  in  pieces,  underneath  which  is  the  inscription, 
"  Jaume  Olives,  Mallorquien  Marsela  ay  1566."  Jaume 
Olives  was  a  member  of  the  famous  family  of  Oliva  which 
first  came  into  prominence  in  the  island  of  Majorca. 
Other  distinguished  members  of  this  family  were  Barto- 
lomeo  and  Domingo  Oliva,  each  being  the  author  of 
numerous  portolan  charts.  Five  other  charts  of  this 
author  are  known,  which  represent  the  Mediterranean, 
one  of  which,  bearing  date  1557,  is  in  the  University 
Library  of  Pavia,  one  dated  1559  is  in  the  National 
Library  of  Naples,  one  of  1561  is  in  the  Vittorio 
Emanuele  Library  in  Rome,  one  of  1563  is  in  the 
Museo  Civico  of  Venice,  and  one  of  1566  in  Mar- 
seilles. The  one  here  described  appears  to  have  been 
his  last.  Seven  large  compass  roses  are  included  in 
the  circle  of  sixteen  crossing  points.  Neither  latitude 
nor  longitude  is  indicated.  Four  scales  of  miles  are 
drawn. 

The  chart  includes  the  entire  Mediterranean,  the 
Black  Sea,  the  Red  Sea  with  the  indicated  course  of 
the  Israelites  at  the  northern  extremity,  the  Atlantic 
coast  of  Spain  from  Cape  Finisterre,  and  the  coast  of 
Africa  to  Cape  Blanco. 

Important  cities  are  made  prominent,  notably  Genoa 
and  Venice,  and  brilliantly-colored  flags  and  banners  are 
very  numerous. 

The  names  are  written  in  very  small  letters,  and  are 
numerous.  The  corners  on  the  left  of  the  sheet  have  been 
torn,  but  not  to  such  extent  as  to  injure  the  contents 
of  the  chart.  It  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  of  the 
collection. 

57 


18.     GIOVANNI  MARTINES,  1582. 

A  portolan  atlas  of  the  year  1582,  containing  five 
charts  each  32  x  48  cm.  in  size,  bound  in  pasteboard 
cover. 

On  chart  four  appears  the  inscription,  "  Joan  Martines 
en  Messina  Any  1582." 

A  number  of  charts  and  atlases  by  this  author  are 
known,  all  of  which  are  exceedingly  well  done.  In  the 
front  of  this  atlas  is  pasted  a  brief  description  of  the  sev- 
eral charts  by  E.  F.  Jomard,  editor  of  the  famous  atlas 
"  Monuments  de  la  Geographic"  There  are  three  or 
more  compass  roses  on  each  chart,  some  of  which  are 
elaborately  executed.  The  usual  intricate  crossing  lines 
are  inscribed,  and  on  each  chart  a  scale  of  miles  drawn 
on  a  great  waving  scroll.  The  nomenclature  is  especially 
rich. 

1.  Chart  one  includes  the  eastern  Mediterranean,  the 
JEgean,  and  the  Black  Seas.  Over  Jerusalem  waves  a 
flag  with  the  cross,  over  the  Crimea  the  Genoese  flag, 
which  flag  also  appears  prominent  at  the  entrance  to  the 
Black  Sea.  The  Red  Sea  is  a  conspicuous  feature,  and 
Cairo  appears  as  a  many-turreted  city  on  the  Nile. 

2.  Chart  two  includes  the  central  and  western  Medi- 
terranean. It  contains  all  the  characteristic  features  of 
the  preceding,  with  Venice,  Genoa,  Marseilles,  and  two 
cities  in  northern  Africa,  made  prominent  by  groups 
of  turreted  buildings. 

3.  Chart  three  represents  the  coast  region  of  west- 
ern Europe  from  Gibraltar  to  Denmark  and  Iceland. 
This  chart  is  especially  interesting.  England  and  Scot- 
land, as  on  contemporaneous  charts,  are  represented  as 
separated  by  a  strait.     Iceland  appears  on  the  extreme 

58 


GIOVANNI  MARTINES,   1582        CHART  ONE 


northern  border,  southwest  of  which  is  "  Frixlandia," 
with  a  few  other  names  to  be  found  on  the  Zeno  map 
of  1558.  "  Isla  de  Brasil,"  with  its  usual  peculiar  fea- 
tures, is  located  to  the  southwest  of  Iceland.  The  Iberian 
peninsula  is  especially  distinguished  by  its  turreted  cities 
and  conspicuous  banners.  About  four  degrees  to  the 
west  of  Spain  the  prime  meridian  is  drawn  across  the 
chart,  on  which  degrees  of  latitude  are  very  distinctly 
indicated. 

4.  Chart  four  presents  the  west  coast  of  Spain  and 
the  coast  of  Africa  from  Gibraltar  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Senegal,  which  point  is  conspicuously  marked  with  a 
Portuguese  banner,  as  is  also  the  city  of  Lisbon.  The 
prime  meridian  on  which  the  degrees  of  latitude  are 
marked  is  represented  much  to  the  west  of  the  Canary 
Islands,  and  is  at  least  ten  degrees  farther  west  than 
on  the  preceding  chart.  It  is  on  this  chart  that  the 
name  of  Martines  appears. 

5.  Chart  five  represents  the  west  coast  of  Africa 
from  the  mouth  of  the  Senegal  to  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  the  last-named  point  being  especially  marked  in 
large  capitals  "CAPO  DI  BONA  SPIRANZA." 
Numerous  Portuguese  banners  are  inscribed  along  the 
coast.  The  prime  meridian,  if  such  it  is  intended  to  be, 
runs  slightly  to  the  west  of  Africa,  north  of  the  equator, 
while  south  of  the  same  it  is  represented  as  starting  at 
a  point  at  least  four  degrees  farther  to  the  east. 

The  atlas  is  well  preserved  in  all  its  rich  details. 

19.     ANONYMOUS  ATLAS,  late  16th  century. 

A  French  atlas  of  portolan  charts  of  the  second  half 
of  the  sixteenth  century  in  brown  leather  cover.     It  con- 

59 


tains  four  charts  each  occupying  double  pages  49  x  61 
cm.  in  size.  On  the  outside  of  the  front  cover  is  stamped 
"  Ex  libris  Luigi  Arrigoni  Mediolani."  Its  author  is 
unknown,  but  it  corresponds  in  all  important  particulars 
to  the  contemporaneous  work  of  Italian  chart-makers. 

Compass  roses  are  numerous  and  some  are  very 
large.  Certain  designs  for  banners,  as  well  as  the  car- 
touches in  which  the  scale  of  miles  is  inscribed  are  bril- 
liantly colored  and  elaborately  executed.  The  coast  lines 
are  colored,  certain  parts  of  which  are  unusually  heavily 
marked. 

The  coast  nomenclature  is  very  full,  and  regional 
names,  especially,  are  in  French.  French  portolan  charts 
of  the  period  are  not  numerous,  and  this  work  is  one  of 
the  most  valuable  of  the  kind  known. 

1.  Chart  one  drawn  on  a  large  scale  includes  the 
western  Mediterranean,  the  Atlantic  coast  of  Africa  to 
Cape  Cantin.  Many  regional  names  are  inscribed  as 
"Europe,"  "  Spagne,"  "Genes,"  "Provence,"  "  Cata- 
logue," "Valence,"  "  Granade,"  "Andalvzie,"  "P:Gal," 
"  Afrique,"  "  Tunis,"  "  Arger,"  "  Barbarie,"  "  Fex." 

2.  Chart  two  includes  the  middle  Mediterranean  and 
the  Adriatic.  The  coast  of  France,  of  Tunis,  of  the 
island  of  Sicily,  and  the  opposite  mainland  of  Italy,  the 
Adriatic  coast  of  Tuscany,  the  coast  of  Istria,  and  the  coast 
of  western  Greece,  all  are  made  especially  prominent  by 
heavy  coloring. 

Regional  names  are  numerous,  including  "  Europe," 
"Genes,"  "  Venise,"  "  Italie,"  "  Tuscane,"  "  Istrie," 
"  Dalmatie,"  "  Tunis,"  "  Tripoli."  "  Greece,"  and 
"  Afrique "  are  inscribed  in  a  conspicuous  cartouche. 
As  inserted  in  the  atlas,  the  north  is  at  the  right. 

3.  Chart  three  includes  the  eastern  Mediterranean, 

60 


18.   GIOVANNI  MARTINES,   1582         CHART  TWO  OF  ATLAS. 


is  highly  colored,  and  contains  numerous  elaborate  orna- 
ments. "  Europe,"  "  Asie,"  and  "  Afrique  "  are  ap- 
propriately inscribed,  with  the  addition  of  such  names  as 
"Greece,"  "  Troye,"  "  Natolie,"  "  Carmanie,"  "  Svrie." 
Golgotha  is  represented  with  the  three  crosses.  The 
mouth  of  the  Nile  is  made  prominent,  as  is  the  name 
"  Barbaric" 

4.  Chart  four  includes  the  entire  Mediterranean, 
with  a  small  section  of  the  southwest  shore  of  the  Black 
Sea,  the  northern  section  of  the  Red  Sea,  the  Atlantic 
coast  of  Spain  from  Cape  Finisterre  southward,  the  coast 
of  Africa  to  Cape  Cantin.  There  is  a  very  considerable 
tongue  extension  of  the  sheet  on  the  left.  It  is  rather 
more  highly  decorated  than  is  either  of  the  preceding 
sheets,  containing  the  regional  names  and  most  of  the 
features  represented  on  each  of  the  preceding  charts. 
It  appears  indeed  to  be  simply  a  chart  represent- 
ing the  contents  of  the  preceding  grouped  into  one 
chart. 

The  entire  atlas  is  one  remarkably  well  preserved. 

20.     DOMINICUS  de  VILLARROEL,  1590  circa. 

An  atlas  of  portolan  charts,  bound  in  a  pasteboard 
cover  and  drawn  near  the  close  of  the  sixteenth  century. 
It  contains  seven  charts,  each  37  x  52  cm.  in  size,  with 
one  page  representing  Judith  and  Holophernes  having 
a  Latin  subscription  concluding  with  a  reference  to  the 
author:  "Hoc  opvs  D.  Dominicvs  de  Villarroel  Regis 
Hispaniarvm  Cosmography  s  faciebat,"  one  page  repre- 
senting the  martyrdom  of  St.  Sebastien,  and  one  page 
on  which  appear  two  circular  calendar  tables  furnished 
with   a   movable   parchment   disc.     Under   each   of   the 

61 


tables    is    an    explanation    as    to    its    meaning    and   its 
use. 

Villarroel  was  probably  not  a  Spaniard,  as  he  is  not 
referred  to  by  Fernandez  de  Navarrete  in  his  Bibliotheca 
maritima  espanola,  but  was  probably  an  Italian  living 
under  Spanish  rule  in  Naples.  The  Bibliotheque  Na- 
tionale  of  Paris  possesses  a  portolan  chart,  apparently  the 
work  of  this  same  chart-maker,  representing  the  Medi- 
terranean, Europe,  and  northern  Africa  with  the  inscrip- 
tion, "  Don  Domingo  de  Villeroel,  cosmographo  de  su 
Magestad,  me  fecit  in  civitate  Neapolis  1589,"  and  two 
atlases  are  referred  to  by  Nordenskiold  in  his  Periplus, 
p.  65,  of  the  years  1530  and  1580  which  may  be  by  the 
same  cosmographer.  This  atlas,  hitherto  unknown,  is 
probably  his  last  work.  Each  chart  is  covered  with  the 
usual  crossing  lines  and  contains  several  compass  roses, 
some  of  which  are  elaborately  executed.  Degrees  of 
latitude  are  represented,  on  each  also  the  scale  of  miles 
in  a  waving  scroll.  Certain  important  cities  are  made 
especially  conspicuous  on  the  first  four  charts,  and  nu- 
merous banners  of  state  and  coats-of-arms  are  represented 
in  their  appropriate  localities. 

1.  Chart  one  represents  the  eastern  Mediterranean 
and  the  Black  Sea,  recording  in  the  interior  regions  only 
the  names  of  the  several  countries. 

2.  Chart  two  includes  the  central  and  western  Medi- 
terranean, having  compass  roses  which  are  especially  well 
drawn.  The  several  countries  of  central  Europe  are  each 
distinguished  by  the  representation  of  at  least  one  city 
over  which  flies  an  appropriate  banner. 

3.  Chart  three  includes  western  Europe  from  Gib- 
raltar to  the  White  Sea,  and  is  remarkably  well  drawn. 
Spain  gives  excellent  illustration  of  the  statement   (vid. 


18.  GIOVANNI  MARTINES,   1582        CHART  THREE  OF  ATLAS. 


p.  20)  that  a  different  scale  of  measurement  was  used  for 
the  Atlantic  coast  from  that  used  for  the  Mediterranean 
coast.  England  and  Ireland  are  remarkably  well  repre- 
sented as  is  the  Baltic  with  the  entire  Scandinavian  region. 

4.  Chart  four  includes  southern  Spain  with  the  coast 
of  Africa  to  the  Gulf  of  Guinea.  The  prime  meridian 
is  represented  passing  west  of  the  Canary  Islands,  on 
which  meridian  degrees  of  latitude  are  marked  from  1° 
to  42°  north. 

5.  Chart  five  presents  the  Atlantic  Ocean  from  15° 
to  60°  north  latitude.  This  is  one  of  the  most  interesting 
charts  of  the  Atlas,  exhibiting  on  the  right  the  coast  of 
Africa,  Portugal,  and  Ireland,  at  the  top  Iceland,  Green- 
land, and  the  island  of  Frisland  of  the  Zeno  map,  on  the 
left  Canada  and  Labrador  with  the  neighboring  islands 
under  the  name  Terra  Nova.  In  the  middle  Atlantic  are 
many  islands,  among  which  are  S.  Brandan  and  Icaria. 
The  North  American  coast  represents  a  type  between 
that  of  the  Dieppe  School  and  that  of  Ortelius  as  laid 
down  in  his  Theatrum  of  1570. 

6.  Chart  six  includes  the  Adriatic,  Lower  Italy,  and 
Sicily.  In  this  and  the  succeeding  chart  the  draftsman 
has  altered  somewhat  his  style,  giving  less  attention  to 
ornamentation.  The  cities  are  made  prominent  merely 
by  a  gold  dot.  Compass  roses  are  less  conspicuous  though 
in  the  style  of  the  small  roses  on  the  preceding  charts, 
and  the  ribbon  scroll  in  which  is  represented  the  scale  of 
miles  is  the  same  pattern. 

7.  Chart  seven  represents  the  entire  iEgean  Sea  with 
the  neighboring  coast  regions.  As  in  the  preceding 
chart  ships  are  artistically  sketched  sailing  the  sea,  and 
the  towns,  as  well  as  all  coast-places  bearing  name,  are 
preceded  by  a  gold  dot. 

63 


21.     VINCENTIUS  PRUNES,  1597. 

A  small  portolan  chart  of  the  year  1597.  Its  dimen- 
sions are  17  x  54  cm.  The  author  legend  near  the  upper 
border  on  the  left  reads,  "  Vincentius  prunes  in  civis 
majoricarum  me  fecit  anno  1597." 

Neither  Uzielli  e  Amat  nor  Nordenskiold  refers  to 
this  chart-maker,  although  they  make  brief  mention  of 
Matteo  Prunes  as  a  Majorcan  cartographer  whose  work 
belongs  to  the  second  half  of  the  sixteenth  century. 

In  the  tongue  extension  on  the  left  is  a  miniature  of 
the  Virgin  and  Child  resting  on  a  cloud,  underneath  which 
are  the  heads  of  three  cherubs. 

The  sheet  being  so  much  longer  than  broad  would 
apparently  call  for  at  least  two  systems  of  crossing 
points.  Instead  but  one  is  represented  with  its  centre 
in  the  island  of  Sardinia.  The  circumference  of  the 
circle  in  which  the  sixteen  points  appear  passes  through 
the  Adriatic  on  the  right  and  the  east  coast  of  Spain 
on  the  left.  The  lines  passing  through  those  points  are 
extended  to  the  borders  of  the  sheet.  Numerous  paral- 
lel lines  cross  the  sheet  from  north  to  south  and  from 
east  to  west  at  intervals  of  about  five  degrees. 

Along  the  upper  and  also  along  the  lower  border  a 
scale  of  miles  is  represented. 

The  chart  includes  the  entire  Mediterranean,  also  the 
Atlantic  coast  region,  from  Cape  Finisterre  to  Cape 
Cantin,  with  an  extensive  nomenclature,  but  no  interior 
regional  names  are  given.  Ten  miniature  representations 
of  cities  are  drawn,  over  each  of  which  is  an  appropriate 
banner. 

The  chart  is  well  preserved,  though  evidently  very 
slightly  reduced  from  its  original  size  by  trimming. 

64 


22.     ANONYMOUS  ATLAS,  second  half  of  16th 

century. 

An  atlas  containing  three  portolan  charts  of  the  late 
sixteenth  century,  bound  in  brown  boards.  Each  chart 
is  40  x  58  cm.  in  size.  It  is  the  work  of  an  unknown 
French  cartographer.  The  continental  coasts  and  most 
of  the  islands  are  colored.  The  chief  ornamentation  con- 
sists of  compass  roses,  each  of  which  has  eight  points,  the 
central  one  in  charts  two  and  three  being  located  in  the 
island  of  Sicily,  and  there  are  somewhat  elaborate  car- 
touches, in  each  of  which  a  scale  of  miles  is  represented. 

1.  Chart  one  represents  the  Grecian  Archipelago,  in- 
cluding a  section  of  the  coast  of  Asia  Minor,  "  Natolie," 
the  island  of  "  Candie  "  very  prominent,  the  east  coast 
of  the  Grecian  peninsula,  "  Grece,"  and  "  Morea,"  and 
the  coast  of  "  Romanic"  Chios  and  Rhodes  are  made 
conspicuous  by  means  of  their  color  and  the  silver 
cross. 

2.  Chart  two  represents  the  entire  Mediterranean, 
the  entrance  to  the  Black  Sea,  the  west  coast  of  Spain, 
and  the  coast  of  Africa  to  Cape  Cantin.  Certain  coast 
regions  and  islands  have  been  made  especially  con- 
spicuous by  color.  Regional  names  in  large  capital  let- 
ters are  inscribed,  as  "  Spagne,"  "  Europe,"  "  Asie," 
"  Barbarie,"  "  Afrique."  This  sheet  has  the  tongue 
extension  on  the  left. 

3.  Chart  three  includes  about  the  same  as  the  pre- 
ceding, except  that  nothing  beyond  the  Strait  of  Gibraltar 
is  represented,  and  it  is  drawn  on  a  somewhat  larger 
scale.  Sicily  is  made  the  centre  of  the  group  of  sixteen 
crossing  points,  although  not  in  the  centre  of  the  sheet, 
and  a  second  crossing  point  is  indicated  in  the  eastern 

65 


Mediterranean,  which,  however,  is  not  represented  as  the 
centre  of  a  system. 

The  atlas  is  well  preserved  in  all  its  details. 

23.     ANONYMOUS  ATLAS,  close  of  the  16th 

century. 

A  portolan  atlas  containing  three  charts,  belonging 
to  the  closing  years  of  the  sixteenth  century,  in  size 
35  x  62  cm.  Though  unsigned  and  undated  it  presents 
many  features  suggesting  that  it  is  the  work  of  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Oliva  family.  The  drafting  is  exquisitely 
done,  the  decorations  of  each  sheet  showing  workmanship 
of  a  superior  quality. 

1.  Chart  one  represents  the  Mgean  Sea  with  all  of 
its  neighboring  coasts  to  the  west,  the  north,  and  the 
east,  with  the  island  of  Crete  at  the  south.  The  coasts 
are  colored  with  certain  sections  very  conspicuous.  It 
contains  a  scale  of  miles  in  an  elaborate  cartouche  stretch- 
ing entirely  across  the  northern  boundary,  or  as  it  appears 
in  the  atlas,  on  the  extreme  right.  Compass  roses  are 
numerous,  though  not  conspicuous,  and  the  compass  lines 
are  rather  more  numerous  than  is  usual  by  reason  of 
the  fact  that  each  of  the  sixteen  crossing  points  is  con- 
nected with  every  other  point,  the  lines  being  extended 
to  the  border  of  the  chart. 

2.  Chart  two  includes  the  entire  Mediterranean,  with 
a  very  limited  section  of  the  southwest  coast  of  the  Black 
Sea,  and  terminates  in  the  west  at  Gibraltar.  Sixteen 
pictures  of  important  cities  appear.  The  Nile  with  its 
numerous  branches  is  represented,  as  is  Golgotha  sur- 
mounted with  the  three  crosses.  The  chart  furnishes  an 
excellent  example  of  an  attempt  to  represent  along  the 

66 


20.     DOMINICUS  DE  VALLARROEL,  CIRCA  1590.        CHART  THREE  OF  ATLAS 


coasts  rocky  promontories  and  sand  shoals.  In  each  of 
the  four  corners  a  scale  of  miles  is  drawn  with  a  half 
border  ornament. 

3.  Chart  three  represents  the  Atlantic  coast  of 
Europe  and  Africa  from  Holland  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Senegal  River,  including  the  British  Islands,  the  Azores, 
the  Madeira,  and  the  Canary  Islands.  Along  the  west- 
ern, or  as  it  appears  on  the  chart  as  placed  in  the 
atlas,  the  upper  border,  the  degrees  of  latitude  are  rep- 
resented on  a  conspicuously  drawn  meridian  line.  Com- 
pass roses  are  numerous,  and  the  crossing  lines  are 
arranged  as  on  the  other  charts  of  the  atlas.  Two  cities 
are  represented  in  picture  in  France,  three  in  Spain,  and 
two  in  Africa.  There  is  a  mountain  range  in  France 
running  north  and  south  and  one  similarly  represented 
in  the  African  desert  with  a  spur  extending  to  the 
southwest.  A  scale  of  miles  is  represented  in  the  corner 
of  the  chart  nearest  Ireland,  and  one  in  an  elaborate 
cartouche  in  Africa. 

24.     ANONYMOUS  CHART,  16th  century. 

A  small  parchment  sheet  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
24  x  37  cm.  in  size. 

It  is  clearly  a  double  page  chart  from  an  atlas,  hav- 
ing a  narrow  strip  attached  on  the  right  to  give  the 
pages  the  requisite  size. 

In  the  upper  corner  on  the  right  the  name  "  Rocco 
Bagli "  has  been  written,  which  is  probably  the  name  of 
a  one-time  owner.  Compass  lines  and  compass  cards  are 
represented  with  the  usual  system  of  crossing  lines.  A 
scale  of  miles  is  drawn  in  the  upper  corner  on  the  right. 
Along  the  border  of  the  sheet,  and  outside  the  colored 

67 


border,  is  a  prominent  representation  of  degrees  of  lati- 
tude, though  numbers  are  not  given. 

Color  was  liberally  used,  especially  for  compass  cards, 
and  along  the  coasts.  Malta  and  Rhodes  are  covered 
with  the  cross  of  the  Knights  of  St.  John,  but  no  cities 
are  distinguished  by  miniatures,  nor  are  flags  or  banners 
represented. 

The  chart  includes  the  eastern  Mediterranean  from 
the  island  of  Sicily.  "  Asie  "  across  Asia  Minor,  and 
"  Barbarie  "  in  northern  Africa,  are  the  only  regional 
names  recorded. 

The  chart  is  not  one  of  great  importance.  It  is  in 
a  fair  state  of  preservation. 

25.     ANONYMOUS  CHART,  late  16th  century. 

A  chart  of  the  late  sixteenth  century,  18  x  19  cm. 
in  size.  In  the  lower  corner  on  the  left  is  the  name 
"  Bogali,"  probably  that  of  a  former  possessor.  It  in- 
cludes the  Tyrrhenian  Sea  with  the  adjacent  coasts  and 
islands,  and  has  the  usual  crossing  lines,  with  one  com- 
pass rose.  An  ornamentation  in  the  lower  corner,  near 
the  inscribed  name,  suggests  that  it  is  the  work  of  a 
French  draftsman,  though  the  nomenclature  is  Italian. 
The  chart  is  not  that  of  a  careful,  expert  workman,  nor 
is  it  one  of  great  scientific  value.  Apparently  it  is  a 
sheet  from  an  atlas,  greatly  reduced  from  its  original  size. 
The  names  are  all  legible,  though  the  sheet  is  considerably 
water-stained. 

26.   VINCENTIUS  DEMETRIUS  VOLCIUS,  1600. 

A  portolan  chart  dated  1600,  being  46  x  85  cm.  in 
size.     In  the  upper  corner   on   the  left   is  the   author 

68 


legend,  "  Vinus  demetrei  Volcius  Rachuseus  Fecit  in 
terra  Liburni  de  13  Ianuari  1600."  This  chart  is  here 
first  made  known,  but  other  portolan  charts  by  Volcius 
which  have  been  described  bear  dates  1593,  1596,  1598, 
1601,  and  1607.  It  includes  the  entire  Mediterranean 
with  the  Atlantic  coast  from  Cape  Finisterre  to  Cape 
Bojador.  The  centre  of  the  circle  in  which  the  sixteen 
crossing  points  appear  is  in  southern  Italy.  There  are 
five  compass  or  wind  roses,  and  on  both  the  upper 
and  the  lower  border  a  scale  of  miles  has  been 
inscribed. 

The  chart  is  remarkably  clean  and  well  preserved, 
having  a  considerable  tongue  extension  on  the  left,  and 
a  narrow  black  border  making  an  angle  in  the  tongue 
extension,  which  border  is  omitted  on  the  right. 

27.     MAIOLO  E  VISCONTE,  1605. 

A  portolan  chart  of  the  year  1605.  In  size  it  is  58 
x  81  cm.  In  the  tongue  extension  of  the  chart  is  a  re- 
presentation of  the  Virgin  and  Child,  and  the  date  1605, 
which,  however,  has  been  crudely  altered  to  1505.  To 
the  right,  and  slightly  below  the  picture  of  the  Virgin, 
is  the  author  legend,  "  Carta  nauticatoria  di  mano  de 
Baldasaro  da  Maiolo  e  Giouan  Antonio  de  Visconte  fatta 
nell'  anno  1605  in  Genoua,"  the  year  as  here  given  having 
been  also  changed  by  the  same  hand. 

Baldasaro  was  the  last  descendant  of  the  famous 
Maiolo  family  of  Genoa,  especially  distinguished  as  chart- 
makers  in  the  sixteenth  century.  Apparently  only  two 
other  charts  of  Baldasaro's  are  known,  one  of  1566,  and 
one  of  1583.  Giovan  Antonio  was  likewise  a  member 
of  a  famous  family,  of  which  family  Pietro  Vesconte 

69 


was  a  member,  whose  name  appears  on  the  oldest-known 
portolan  chart  bearing  date. 

Compass  cards  are  numerous,  though  not  elaborate 
in  design:  a  very  simple  scale  of  miles  is  represented  on 
the  upper  and  also  on  the  lower  border. 

The  chart  represents  the  Mediterranean,  the  Black 
Sea,  a  small  section  of  the  Red  Sea,  the  Atlantic  coast 
of  Europe  from  Gibraltar  to  Holland,  and  in  faint  out- 
line a  section  of  the  Baltic  and  the  southern  extremity 
of  Scandinavia,  the  coast  of  Africa  to  "  rio  doro,"  the 
British  Islands,  the  Azores,  the  Madeira,  the  Canary 
Islands,  and  the  fabulous  islands  "  Maida  "  and  "  Brazil." 
Colored  groups  of  turrets  with  flying  banners  represent 
the  larger  cities,  among  which  Genoa,  Venice,  and  Con- 
stantinople are  especially  conspicuous.  In  all  eighteen 
cities  are  so  distinguished.  Much  care  seems  to  have 
been  exercised  with  reference  to  the  insertion  of  the 
British  Islands. 

In  its  colors  and  nomenclature  the  chart  is  well  pre- 
served, though  the  sheet  has  been  slightly  stained  and 
torn  in  the  margins. 

28.     JOANNES  OLIVA,  early  17th  century. 

Portolan  chart  of  the  first  quarter  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  51  x  96  cm.  in  size.  In  the  upper  corner  on 
the  left  is  a  somewhat  faded  representation  of  Christ  on 
the  cross,  to  the  right  of  which,  and  somewhat  below  it, 
is  the  inscription:  "Joannes  Oliva  fecit  in  civitate 
Liburni  aflo  domini  .  .  ." — the  numbers  representing 
the  year  having  been  erased. 

The  author  was  a  member  of  the  famous  Oliva  family, 
coming  originally  from  the  Balearic  Islands,  and  later 

70 


iipssspss^ 


having  its  representatives  in  many  localities  in  Italy. 
Nine  other  single  parchment  charts  and  two  atlases  of 
his  are  known;  the  chart  here  described  being  apparently 
hitherto  unknown. 

Fifteen  compass  roses  adorn  the  chart,  though  not  all 
of  the  same  design,  the  central  one  being  located  on  the 
island  of  Sicily,  from  which  the  thirty-two  lines  radiate. 
A  scale  of  miles  appears  on  the  upper  border,  and  on 
the  lower  the  scale  is  recorded  three  times  in  a  long  wav- 
ing scroll.  Latitude  is  represented  on  a  meridian  cross- 
ing the  chart  east  of  the  heel  of  the  boot  of  Italy.  The 
chart  represents  the  Mediterranean  and  the  Black  Sea 
with  a  small  section  of  the  Atlantic  coast  from  Lisbon 
to  Cape  Cantin. 

The  three  continents  are  designated  by  name.  In 
Africa  the  river  Nile  is  drawn,  and  in  Palestine  Golgotha 
with  the  three  crosses. 

The  nomenclature  is  in  Catalan,  or  in  Italian  with 
distinct  Catalan  forms,  and  as  usual  the  names  are  in 
red  and  black.  It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  those  written 
in  red  are  best  preserved. 

Over  Rhodes,  Chios,  and  Malta  the  cross  is  represented. 

The  chart  is  very  well  executed,  but  is  somewhat  in- 
jured along  the  edges,  and  in  parts  is  slightly  faded. 

29.     PLACITUS  CALVIRO  ET  OLIVA,  early  17th 

century. 

A  portolan  chart  of  the  early  seventeenth  century, 
in  size  53  x  100  cm. 

On  the  left  in  the  tongue  extension  is  the  author 
legend,  "  Placitus  Calviro  et  Olivia  fecit  in  nobile  urbe 
messana  .  .  ."     Numerous    charts   signed    as    here    are 

71 


known,  possessing  no  superior  scientific  value,  though 
well  drawn  and  elaborately  decorated.  The  date  of  this 
chart  has  been  erased  apparently  with  the  thought  of 
substituting  another  for  the  original.  In  the  extension  on 
the  left  is  a  miniature  of  the  Madonna  and  Child.  It  is 
furnished  with  an  elaborate  border  ornament,  except  on 
the  right,  where  this  appears  to  have  been  cut  away. 
Degrees  of  latitude  are  represented  on  the  left. 

The  chart  includes  the  Mediterranean,  the  Black  Sea, 
part  of  the  North  Sea,  the  Atlantic  coast  from  Holland 
to  a  point  near  Cape  Verde  in  Africa,  with  the  British 
Islands,  the  Madeira  and  the  Canary  Islands.  It  is  a 
chart  elaborately  ornamented,  especially  in  Africa.  West 
of  Spain  in  the  "  Mare  Oceano  "  two  ocean  monsters  are 
represented.  Various  animals  are  to  be  seen  in  Africa, 
and  palm  trees  are  numerous.  There  are  many  minia- 
ture representations  of  cities,  each  with  its  appropriate 
banner.  The  three  continental  names  have  been  in- 
scribed, also  Golgotha  with  the  three  crosses,  and  the  Nile 
River,  "  Flume  Nillo."  No  less  than  twelve  rulers  appear 
in  their  respective  countries,  each  in  full  figure,  with  his 
appropriate  shield.  These  represent  "  R.  de  Spania," 
"  R.  de  Francia,"  "  Imperator,"  "  R.  de  Ungaria,"  "  R. 
de  Russia,"  "  Gran  Turc,"  "  Gran  soldano  di  Babilonia," 
"  R.  de  Tripoli,"  "  R.  de  Tunis,"  "  R.  de  Alger,"  "  R.  de 
Fes,"  *  R.  de  Maraco." 

The  purely  geographical  parts  of  the  chart,  including 
the  coast  lines  and  nomenclature,  are  very  much  faded, 
but  the  ornamentation  is  well  preserved. 

30.     ANONYMOUS  CHART,  early  17th  century. 

A  large  parchment  chart  of  the  early  seventeenth  cen- 

72 


tury,  77  x  93  cm.  in  size.  It  is  unsigned  but  the  general 
character  of  the  draftsmanship  and  the  brief  inscrip- 
tion near  the  scale  of  miles  reading,  "  Duytsche  Mylen  15 
voor  een  Graedt,"  suggests  that  it  had  its  origin  in  the 
Netherlands  though  in  the  main  the  nomenclature  is 
Portuguese. 

As  the  chart  represents  the  territory  of  especial  in- 
terest to  the  Dutch  West  India  Company,  it  is  probable 
that  it  was  drawn  for  use  on  one  of  its  ships,  and  not 
long  after  the  year  1621,  in  which  year  that  company 
was  founded.  Later  settlements  in  west  Africa  and 
Brazil  are  not  represented.  The  map  is  covered  with  a 
network  of  compass  lines  in  which  the  usual  portolan 
chart  colors  appear,  and  one  compass  rose  has  been  in- 
scribed. Degrees  of  latitude  are  indicated  which  extend 
from  45°  south  to  43°  north.  On  the  right  is  represented 
the  west  coast  of  Portugal  and  Africa  to  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope,  and  on  the  left  the  east  coast  of  South 
America  from  the  mouth  of  the  Amazon  to  the  Rio  de 
la  Plata,  North  America  and  the  West  Indies  being 
omitted.  In  the  upper  corner  on  the  right  is  an  inset 
map  containing  the  west  coast  of  Europe  with  the  British 
Islands  as  far  north  as  60°  north  latitude.  The  interior 
regions  are  left  blank,  but  the  harbors,  inlets,  headlands, 
and  mouths  of  rivers  are  represented,  suggesting  that  the 
map  was  intended  for  practical  use  on  shipboard.  A 
stamp  in  the  middle  of  the  sheet  indicates  that  the  chart 
earlier  belonged  to  the  Depot  des  Cartes,  Plans  et  Jour- 
naux  de  la  Marine  in  Paris.  On  the  inset  map  appear 
the  regional  names  "  Yrlandt,"  "  Schotlandt,"  "  Enge- 
landt,"  "  Francia,"  and  "  Hispania."  In  Africa  appear 
the  names  "Marocho,"  "Mandinga,"  "Guinea,"'  "Benin," 
"  Loango,"  "  Gout  Cust,"  "  Gabon,"  and  "  Angola,"  and 

73 


in  the  New  World  "  Brasilia  "  and  "  Terra  dos  Patos." 
The  chart  is  remarkably  well  preserved  and  all  names  are 
legible,  the  names  of  the  Atlantic  islands  being  in  red. 

81.     JOUAN  BATTISTA  CAVALLINI,  1637. 

A  portolan  chart,  once  part  of  an  atlas,  of  the  year 
1637.     It  is  42  x  58  cm.  in  size. 

In  the  upper  corner  on  the  left  is  the  author  legend, 
"  Jouan  Batta  Cauallini  in  Liuorno  Ano  1637."  Caval- 
lini  was  a  chart-maker  of  distinction  of  the  city  of  Leg- 
horn, Italy.  Uzielli  e  Amat  mention  three  charts  and  two 
atlases  by  this  author,  four  of  which  are  dated  respectively, 
1636,  1639,  1642,  1654,  and  one  undated.  It  contains 
numerous  compass  roses  well  executed,  from  each  of  which 
thirty-two  lines  radiate.  A  scale  of  miles  appears  in  each 
corner  of  the  sheet  within  an  elaborately  drawn  design, 
and  the  chart  is  furnished  with  an  artistic  border.  De- 
grees of  latitude  are  marked  on  a  line  crossing  the  sheet 
to  the  west  of  the  Madeira  Islands. 

The  chart  includes  the  western  Mediterranean  and  the 
Atlantic  coast  regions  from  northern  France  to  "  Arguin  " 
in  Africa.  The  names  inscribed  for  the  larger  areas  are 
"  Spania,"  "  Gallia,"  "  Barbaria,"  "  Africa."  Numerous 
cities  are  represented  in  miniature  with  banners,  and  near 
each  is  the  name  of  the  province  or  region  in  which  the 
city  lies.  The  provinces  so  distinguished  are  in  Europe 
"  Piemonte,"  "  Provenza,"  "  Guascognia,"  "  Navara," 
"  Catalognia,"  "  Valenzia,"  "  Cartagena,"  "  Andaluzia," 
"  Castiglia,"  "  Portogallo,"  "  Galizia,"  "Biscaia";  in 
Africa  "Tunesi,"  "  Costantina,"  "Algieri,"  "  Oran," 
"Fesse,"  "  Maroco,"  "Arguin." 

74 


32.  GEORG.  ANDREA  EOCKLER,  1650.        CHART   TWO   OF    ATLAS. 


The  elephant,  the  bear,  and  the  unicorn  are  represented 
in  Africa. 

The  chart  is  well  preserved. 

32.     GEORG.  ANDREA  BOCKLER,  1650. 

An  atlas  of  four  portolan  charts  of  the  year  1650, 
bound  in  parchment  cover,  each  chart  being  29  x  42  cm. 
in  size.  In  the  lower  corner  on  the  right  of  chart  one 
appears  the  legend,  "  Georg.  Andrea  Bockler,  Archt.  u. 
Ingeineur  Ffort.  1650."  This  probably  refers  to  the 
author:  it  may  be  an  inscription  of  a  one-time  owner. 
We  know  that  at  Frankfort  a/M.  about  the  middle  of 
the  seventeenth  century,  there  lived  a  distinguished 
architect  and  engineer  by  the  name  here  given.  Many 
of  his  works  are  extant,  especially  certain  ones  relating 
to  architecture,  to  the  science  of  war  and  heraldry,  and 
there  is  also  an  engraved  map  of  his  known  representing 
biblical  history.  The  atlas  appears  to  be  a  copy  based 
wholly  upon  Italian  sources  of  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth 
centuries,  and  closely  resembles  the  work  of  the  Oliva 
family.  Each  sheet  contains  compass  roses  with  the 
usual  sixteen  crossing  points  arranged  about  a  central 
point.  We  have  here  a  fine  illustration  of  the  combination 
of  wind  and  compass  rose,  the  eight  winds  being  desig- 
nated in  the  central  part  of  each  compass  card  by  ap- 
propriate initials,  the  north,  however,  having  the  needle 
point  in  place  of  the  initial  T,  and  the  east  the  Greek 
cross,  instead  of  the  initial  L.  Each  sheet  has  a  scale 
of  miles  distinctly  marked.  Flags  and  banners  are 
numerous  on  each  chart,  as  are  miniature  repre- 
sentations of  the  important  cities.      The  coast  lines  are 

75 


composed  of  a  series  of  short  curves  with  numerous  breaks, 
as  if  to  indicate  the  mouths  of  streams  or  rivers. 

1.  Chart  one  represents  the  Atlantic  coast  of  the  old 
world  from  Cape  Finisterre  to  a  point  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Senegal,  including  the  Madeira  and  the  Canary- 
Islands.  To  the  left  of  these  islands  a  very  conspicuous 
line  is  drawn  on  which  degrees  of  latitude  are  indicated. 
"  S.tiago "  and  "  lisbona "  are  marked  with  turreted 
buildings  and  banners.  Three  cities,  "  Melli,"  "  Ciudat 
de  boxador,"  and  "  S.  juan,"  are  so  distinguished  in 
Africa. 

2.  Chart  two  contains  the  west  coast  of  Europe  and 
Africa  from  Holland  to  Cape  Cantin,  though  the  first 
point  indicated  at  the  north  is  "  dansic  ",  with  the  Medi- 
terranean coast  as  far  as  the  meridian  of  Marseilles, 
including  also  the  British  Islands,  and  in  the  extreme 
northwest  "  Frixlandia,"  and  to  the  south  of  this,  "  ilia  de 
brasill."  The  cities  made  prominent  by  colored  miniatures 
include  "  frixa,"  "  anvero,"  "  Avignon,"  "  barsalona," 
"  valensia,"  "  granada,"  "  lisbona,"  "  S.tiago." 

3.  Chart  three  includes  the  Mediterranean  from  the 
north  coast  of  Spain  to  the  Gulf  of  Corinth.  On  this 
chart  Venice  and  Genoa  are  made  especially  prominent 
with  picture  and  banner.  Five  other  cities  are  indicated 
in  a  similar  manner. 

4.  Chart  four  includes  the  eastern  Mediterranean 
and  the  Black  Sea.  Banners  are  particularly  numerous 
on  this  chart.  "  Gerussallem,"  "  Mont  de  Sinayi,"  and 
"babelonia"  (Cairo)  are  given  special  prominence. 
The  Red  Sea  has  not  the  usual  solid  red  color,  but  is 
crossed  with  waving  red  lines. 

The  atlas  is  remarkably  well  preserved. 


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